Code Realize: Silver Harvest
by SaynaYuki
Summary: OC AU: Silver Lady 3: Its been a few months since Code Realize happened and Van is thinking his is in desperate need of a vacation. All his resources indicate that traveling to a local harvest festival seems like an advisable weekend get away, but with Sierra in tow, will anything ever go as planned for the former vampire hunter?
1. Chapter 1: Morning Light

Welcome back for the seasonal special!

I need to do some housekeeping up here: Van belongs to Code Realize, I do not own him!

Sierra is my OC.

If that is the first time you have heard that name I strongly recommend you nip over and read "The Silver Lady" first! Its not required, but you will probably enjoy and understand the couple's backstories, history, and reactions much better if you do!

This is an slight AU and I am also very fond of tropes. There is your warning for that. Also note this is rated M for a reason. Caution is advised, and you are reading at your own risk. (That never stopped me, but hey fair warning...)

Cover Art By: Kirimatsu on Deviantart *(You can also find me there under: Sayna-Yuki)

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Chapter 1: Morning Light

The seasons were getting cooler…

A brisk cool wind tugged strongly on my wings as I sat on the rooftop in the weakening morning sun. My back was positioned firmly against the chimney as I took a sip of my hot mulled apple cider. I blushed softly as I enjoyed the warmingly-heavy taste of apple. As I partook in my guilty pleasure, my bright blue eyes gazed across the colorful landscape with contentment.

Autumn had finally arrived at the mansion.

A few vagrant leaves fluttered past me in the strong autumn breeze. Serenely, I watched the world wake up around me feeling content and at peace with the world in these early morning hours.

Right now the mansion was mostly empty. Saint had taken to traveling on and off. From what I understood the count was currently away on business. The last time I had heard from Saint was a letter telling me he would be home soon, probably before the harvest. However, I had not seen him or heard from him since then.

Lupin and Cardia had eloped to France for their honeymoon last week. The pair had just taken off and not said anything to me at all. The only reason I knew where they were at in the first place was a letter that Lupin had stashed in my room just before they had departed.

Fran's and Keres's clinic was doing well and it seemed the three sisters kept the young doctor quite busy. Keres laughed when I had asked her about it, it seemed that the youngest sister had developed quite an interest in Fran. Poor Fran had informed me in utter distress, that he had to install locks and bolts on all his doors and windows just to prevent her from sneaking into his room while he slept.

Impey had departed with Finis shortly after Lupin and Cardia had left the mansion. Apparently the pair planned on rebuilding Cardia's old home is Whales and wanted to do so while the newlyweds were away for their honeymoon.

Which had left just Van Helsing and me at the mansion unattended.

Being left alone didn't bother my hunter all that much, but it was starting to irritate me a bit. I missed my friends and the mansion was lonely when Van was away for work. The hunter's schedule was erratic and spontaneous at best, but it _always_ had a lot of long hours. He worked most days from dawn until well after dusk, which left me alone by myself most days.

Because of Van's eccentric schedule, I had a developed a terrible tendency of falling asleep in the foyer waiting for him. I always woke up in my bed the next morning, so I knew he must have taken care of me...but it was difficult for me. With Van always being gone and away with work...it always felt like my other half was missing.

I had the feeling it was because we were not spending enough time together.

I was lost in my thoughts as the hunter I had been thinking about flung open the window below me and stared out of it moodily.

"I thought I asked you to wake me when you got up." Van scowled up at me as I smiled back down at him.

"Good morning, dear. You looked so tired I thought I would let you sleep."

Van's half awake eyes glared at me as a stray leaf blew past him on its way into his room. The hunter grabbed it as it flew by and tossed it back out the window moodily. "It wasn't my intention to spend my vacation sleeping."

I chuckled softly at his sour grumbling. "Haha...I was just watching the sunrise."

The hunter seemed dissatisfied with my response so I tried to remedy my mistake. "I was only waiting until it rose up a little higher and then I was going to come wake you."

Van propped his head up on the window sill and looked out at the garden, still trying to wake up properly.

The golds, reds, yellows, and oranges of the oncoming season were beautiful, but Van's gaze slid back up to the women sitting on the roof. The soldier was constantly in awe of her beauty, and he still had trouble believing she had chosen him. The wind playfully swept Sierra's long silver hair out behind her and she looked at the sky with longing and relish. The hunter grinned in his half awaken state, she couldn't begin to guess what she did to him when she looked that way.

I moved a tiny bit, just to see if Van was paying attention to me. The man's stern half-awake gaze changed as he locked onto me. The hunter's eyes quickly changed to assess my movements with cold hard calculations as I stood up and stretched on the rooftop.

"All right, all right. I'll come down. Stop looking at me like that."

Van flicked his gaze back out to the sunrise, now sufficiently awake. "You should come and get ready, we will be leaving soon."

I flew down and hovered outside the window. "Are we going somewhere?"

Van stopped leaning on the window sill and offered me his hand. I took it easily in mine and the hunter gracefully guided me inside.

"I wanted to go into town with you. I thought we could have a bit of a holiday." I blinked in confusion as he pulled me closer and kissed me. "I know you have been lonely without me around."

I brushed his long blond bangs to the side as he kissed me tenderly. "Mmmm…" I licked my bottom lip as we parted, enjoying the taste of him mixing with apples.

"...I have missed you, dear one." His whispered to me as I cuddled up to him. I snuggled up into his warmth and manly scent with sudden relish.

Van's gaze grew concerned as he wrapped his arms more securely around me. "...You're freezing." The hunter mentally made a note to pick Sierra up a sleeved jacket while they were in town next.

"I don't really feel cold…" I muttered under my breath as he held me close. I wasn't really going to complain about Van fussing over me. The hunter seemed to get the idea though as he began to kiss down my neck. His teeth occasionally grated on the tender skin and the hunter successfully coerced a sensual moan from me.

Van chuckled as he heard his women responding to his advances. "Though, if you prefer we don't need to go into town right now…"

Van chuckled softer as the angel leaned into him. Her actions only succeeded in encouraging his actions. The hunter felt her fingernails dig into his jacket as she melted into his embrace. Van's practiced hand drifted to the front of her jacket...

"We can catch the later train, if you prefer..." The hunter whispered to his angel huskily as his fingers began to unlatch the front buckles on her jacket.

"Train?!" Sierra pulled away from him in alarm. "You didn't say anything about a train ride!"

Van sighed as Sierra's worried blue eyes pleaded with his violet-blue ones. "...It's a short ride, we could go by car if you wish?"

She visibly paled at the idea of riding in a car. "...T-thaats not really any better."

Van leaned the women in his arms over and kissed the exposed skin on her chest. "I think you will enjoy the ride. I know you have been awaiting the color change. The route I had planned is one of the most desirable routes in all of England."

The man slowly licked his way back up Sierra's neck as the angel brought her leg up against his hip. The hunter grabbed her leg and held her in the intimate position with ease as he continued his explanation of his plans for the weekend in a low husky voice. "There is a festival in Oxford I thought we could enjoy this weekend, if your willing to tolerate the trip."

Van's hot eyes assessed Sierra's expression. The angel's eyes blue eyes were starting to fleck over with silver, the coloring promised him quite a bit more than just a train ride. The hunter smirked and knew instinctively what to do next. Van swept his angel off her feet with a quick and practiced movement and the hunter felt Sierra wrap her arms around his neck in response as she was lifted off the ground and into his arms.

I wrapped my arms around Van's neck with surprised eyes. Regardless of whatever his current objective was, it seemed like my hunter was more then willing to make up for all the time he had been spending away at work. I kissed his neck tenderly as he carried me across the room without much effort.

The hunter carried his precious burden with intent and carefully lay her down on his crisply made bed.

However, she didn't release her hold on his neck after he set her down. The hunter was forced to put his knee up on the bed with a smirk as this angel only succeeded in antagonizing him. It didn't appear that his lady had any intention of leaving his chambers anytime soon. The women in question wrapped her leg around him in retaliation and the hunter felt his shaft pulse in response.

"You are trouble." He growled down to her as she stared back up at him with big blue-silver eyes full of longing.

"...But I have missed you… You're always busy..." She pleaded at him as her gaze only grew more heated and demanding.

Van shook his head before forcing the women's arms above her head. The hunter then leaned over and pressed his lips to hers with force, keen on not letting the angel have the opportunity to finish her sentence. Van felt the angel's tongue teasing him as she trailed her tongue across his bottom lip seductively. The soldier pulled away from her kiss as he started to breath heavily. "I have the entire weekend off, dearest. I thought a holiday away from this lonely mansion would be of interest you."

Sierra growled as Van felt the angel buck her hips up to grind up against him. "...I would follow you anywhere, you need not ask..."

Van groaned softly at the contact and let her flip their positions. His narrow blue-violet eyes watched everything intently as he was enveloped in a cascade of silvery hair.

The bright silver-blue eyes stared down at him as his women straddled his hips. "...However, it does not appear that I am the only one invested in _this_ right now…" The woman trailed her finger down his chest as her sultry gaze drifted down to the substantial bulge that was becoming clearly evident as Van's arousal only strengthened.

The hunter just shrugged as he toyed with a lock of her hair that had drifted across his face. "I never said I wasn't. I _am_ asking if you are interested taking a trip with me for the weekend."

The angel leaned over him with intent. Her ample, unrestrained, bust was on full display as she came in to kiss him.

Van let his hand drift up to her head as he pulled her closer in order to kiss her more forcefully. The hunter also took advantage of the position to press her up against him more fully.

The angel felt what he was doing and rocked against him. The hunter was hard pressed to stifle his moan. It took Van a second to realize the angel was effectively distracting him while she worked on undoing the buttons of his uniform. Van's eyes narrowed at the keening women on top of him, as she continued to not answer him.

The last button fell off Van's undershirt and I blushed under his intense gaze as he studied me. I playfully danced my fingers over his unmarked chest and I quickly realized he had stopped moving.

"What?" I pulled back, worried I had done something wrong. "...Am I being too bold?"

Van blinked and couldn't help the smirk from creeping up onto his face. The hunter was unable to stop himself as he brought his arm up and dropped it over his eyes as he laughed. "Haha, are you being to bold...that's what your worried about?"

I bit my lip suddenly unsure of myself. "...Van..am I doing something wrong?"

Van's arm moved off his face, but he continued smirking. Still chuckling, the hunter pushed himself up into sitting position and tried to alleviate his angel's insecurities. "You're doing an exceedingly excellent job of seducing your boyfriend, but not at answering my question."

I looked away from Van's intense gaze blushing. I wasn't quite sure what he was asking. "I am sorry…what was the question again?"

Van kissed the center of her chest. His free hand pulled back her jacket and shirt just enough to expose her nipple. The hunter toyed with with tender red bud as he thought it over. "I suppose it _is_ partially my fault, I am distract you."

Sierra gasped as Van toyed with her tit. The soldier used his strong fingers to stimulate the bud before lowering his head to tease it gently with his teeth. The angel rocked against him, her panting only getting worse as the hunter suckled her tit. Van was about to lose his self control as she moved against him, and the hunter was forced to pull her down in order to prevent the angel from continuing her own ministrations.

Red claw marks raked across his exposed torso in a wickedly tantalizing pain as she whimpered and strained against his forced constraint.

His name came out in breezy pants as he alternated between gentle biting and tender suckling.

"V-V-Van!"

Van switched to the other side, giving equal attention to her other breast, keen on keeping to his own pace.

Sierra realized the hunter wasn't responding to her pleas and she struggled with her growing need and heat in her body.

Van held the angel tightly against him as he continued to lick and bite softly on her tender nipples.

The angel was rendered helpless as the hunter continued to drive her crazy with his teasing foreplay. In the last few months, she had yet to figure out what triggered him, but as he forced her to stay still, she could clearly feel his need straining against her. The angel gave up on trying to resist the hunter's restraints and just proceeded to entwine her hands into the man's golden locks.

Van felt Sierra clamp down on his shoulder, hard. The hunter pulled away from her chest as he was caught up in the sudden feeling of Sierra's tantalizingly painful actions. The angel continued biting and sucking on his chest...The soldier had a fairly good idea that she would leave a decent bruise the way she was mauling him...but he smirked.

The marks would probably disappear shortly if he preformed his job correctly regardless.

Still, the hunter was finding it difficult to concentrate. Somehow, in his daze he managed to fully remove Sierra's jacket and shirt. The angel had moved only a few inches closer to his neck, but she still seemed intent on continuing to mark him. Van's gaze settled on the glowing blue angel mark that was permanently etched over his lover's heart. The hunter swiftly pressed his lips onto the center of the blazing blue cross and watched with interest as it pulsed in response to his actions.

The mark had sealed itself a deep navy blue the first time he had claimed her, but that didn't stop it from glowing whenever the hunter touched her. Van loved seeing it shine clearly on his lover's chest. It was somehow a reassuringly tangible proof to the battle-hardened hunter that she cared about him and this love he felt wasn't some kind of delusion.

I proceeded to make my way up Van's neckline, leaving a steady trail of deep indigo colored bruises across his chest and shoulder. I nuzzled him and then started to work my way up the hunter's well defined neck. After I reached his ear, I worked my way back down, tenderly kissing and licking the irritated and bruised skin. The love marks quickly dissipated due to the tender attention I gave them in order to heal them over.

As I was working on repairing the damage I had caused my lover, I felt my pants loosen and a hot hand slipped down against me.

"You're so wet…" Van hissed into his lover's ear as his hand slipped up against her center to start rubbing in slow circles.

"...Uhhh, I could take you now…" The hunter groaned as Sierra shuttered against him.

"Please, dear. I need you…" I whispered to him pleadingly as I took his earring in my lips and gently tugged on it.

Van groaned as the women panted heavily into his ear while pulling on his earring.

"Just a little longer…" The hunter purred as he slowly lay back down on the bed, pulling his angel down besides him as he did so. The angel followed him with a slight whimper. The soldier had stopped his ministrations in order to get her back down on the bed next to him.

The angel only begged him for more as he gazed into her fully silver eyes. "Ahh Van…please…"

Van wasn't sure how much more begging he could take, but the soldier knew he was quickly becoming frustrated with the remaining articles of clothing. Both his and her pants needed to go.

Now.

His first matter of business was hers. The hunter quickly shot a look at Sierra who only nodded to confirm his actions.

With the confirmation and assurance from his lover, the man used a single fluid motion to divest his angel of her offending garments. The hunter then took a second to bask in the glory of seeing his angel's pristine body in the weak morning light. No matter how many times he was blessed with seeing it, it would always be a mystery to him that this fine women had chosen to follow him above all others.

Sierra's face flushed as her desire overrode her modesty and her lover raked his heated gaze over her.

Van stood up and started to unbuckle his pants. As the hunter stood, the angel proceeded to watch his every move with hungry, need filled, eyes.

Van smirked as her hand drifted down to resume the stimulation he had left off.

The hunter finished unbuckling his belt and he slowly pulled out his hot throbbing shaft. Van's smirk only grew as he stoked it a few times in preparation as Sierra's hazy eyes took in the entirety of her lovers well defined physique.

"Look at what your doing to me." Van stroked it forcefully and a small pearl beaded up on the tip.

Sierra moaned at the sight. "Van…."

The hunter stoked it once more and knelt down over the angel as she whimpered in need. Van pulled her hand away and threaded it into his hair. "Patience love. I'll make you feel everything…" Van positioned his fingers at her entrance and rubbed back and forth just enough to tease. "Just relax."

There was a shutter under him and the hunter reached up with his free hand to grab her breast. The hunter's gaze softened as she overlay her hand with his. The man squeezed it gently as he let his tongue slipped over her center.

"VAN!" Sierra gasp as she tried to move away from him.

The hunter quickly forced the angel back down onto his bed with a firm hand on her stomach. The man growled, intent on not rushing things. He kissed the inside of the angel's thighs as he felt another shutter from his women. The angel gasp as the hunter resumed his licking and suckling at the very center of her being. After the first contact, it was less of a shock and it quickly turned more towards pleasure. Sierra let her free hand drift down back into his hair and Van started to take his queues from her.

The hunter licked and sucked and then, judging when the timing was right, he slowly slid one, then another, finger into her.

Sierra's panting was gradually increasing in volume, the way the angel bawled her hands up into his hair...all the signs indicated to Van, that he was doing something right. The hunter only continued to push his lover closer to the brink of release.

When the hunter judged that his women had been tormented enough, he pulled away from her and looked up at her with dark predatory eyes. The soldier pushed himself up and thrust the angel's legs apart in order to position himself just above her core.

"You are beautiful my dear…" Van's hand caressed the angel's cheek tenderly. The hunter wasn't entirely sure what he was seeing in his lover's eyes as the pure silver light completely overtook her.

Sierra reached up and forced Van down into a kiss as she moved up against him.

Van froze, half expected her to gasp as his slipped inside her sweet folds. The man shuttered involuntarily at the sensation as her walls contracted around him.

The hunter growled as Sierra invaded his mouth with passionate force and evident need. He pressed upwards pushing in slowly, and then he settled for a moment to let his women get used to the sensation of him being inside her. The angel gave up invading his mouth in order to slowly kiss him, it was her response to his deliberately slower actions.

Sierra's eyes flickered open as the hunter pulled completely out and then slowly re-entered her again.

The slow loving that the hunter was enforcing was driving the angel under him crazy.

"P- Please...more…" She begged him as the tears balled up in the corners of her eyes.

Van slid in a little further at her request and she whimpered into the kiss.

All the way in and then halfway out.

The hunter called the shots, teasing his lover, slowly taking her higher into a sweet bliss. The sounds the hunter was coercing from his angel was making him believe that he really was in heaven. Van grinned down as Sierra dug her nails into his back in order to get him to move faster.

As he pushed in all the way, the hunter felt the tension in her body building. The soldier leaned over and kissed the angel's ear softly before growling. "What is it you want from me, my dear?"

"I-I need you..." Sierra was about in tears as she pleaded with him.

The tension only built as the angel locked onto his lips with a force as Van's low voice sent his lover tumbling over the edge. "Then I'll give you everything I have."

The hunter felt her vice like grip in the most intimate way possible. Her insides pulled on him, milking him for his seed, and the soldier found he could not resist any longer. The soldier let go, releasing his hot seed into his lover, giving her exactly what she was begging for. The women in his arms moaned at his release and then kissed him in full passion.

Filled with the essence of her lover the angel was content and satisfied in the most intimate ways possible.

The soldier, now having been able to satisfy his angel's needs and passion for the time being, rolled over and pulled her into his arms in a tender embrace. The women nestled into him with a tired, yet, satisfied sigh.

The two lovers lay intertwined for a bit, and Van soon realized that Sierra had fallen asleep, nestled securely in his arms. The hunter looked down at the sleeping women and whispered. "I still don't know why, but I am happy you choose to follow me."

Van nestled his cheek against the top of the angel's hair for a few minutes and then slowly started to move to get up. The hunter was careful not to disturb the sleeping woman as he moved.

The hunter cleaned up and then started packing for the upcoming trip. The soldier frowned, guessing correctly, that Sierra hadn't been sleeping well since he had started working strange and, often late hours, but for some reason she never took him up on his half jesting offers to share a room.

The soldier marginally understood why she didn't, but he was looking forward to this trip almost solely for that reason.

Van finished packing both Sierra's and his bags and went to wake the angel on his bed up so she could get ready.

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Author note:

Silver Lady: 61 chapters and well over 350 pages on the main story, as a slow burn, and here we are chapter 1 releasing all those pended up tensions. Haha!

Anyway, thank you for reading! I do hope you enjoyed, and will return to see what happens next! ^_-


	2. Chapter 2: Noontide Travels

Chapter 2: Noontide Travels

I waited on the edge of the train station, positioned far away from the crowds purposefully while Van left to go purchase our train tickets. The station was bustling with the mid-noon traffic as people started their weekend travels. I waited by our things patiently. While I waited I assessed the crowds with cool calculating eyes.

As I stood alone next to my trunk and Van's small haversack, more than a few men approached me asking if I was lost or needed a hand with my luggage. I wasn't sure why so many of them insisted on trying to help me locate the train platform and help me with my bags, but I kept shying away from them. Some of the men I was able to gracefully deflect with a soft smile and quick reassurance that I was just waiting for someone, while others were much more persistent. Every time one of them approached, my mind kept flashing back to my last run in with a helpful person at a train station. I couldn't help but feel overly apprehensive as the memories of my abduction by Jack-the-Ripper threatened to overwhelm me. I could feel a restless nervousness start to kick in, something was telling me I should be moving for cover and I nearly listened to it. I felt an overwhelmingly strong urge locate Van as more time passed.

A loud steam whistle blew behind me and set my nerves on edge. The obnoxious sound sounded like a physical representation of my growing unease. I could feel the hair rising on the back of my neck and an very uncomfortable feeling started to form in my gut. My instincts were defiantly telling me that something wasn't right.

Still, I tried to stay still and not let my nervousness show while I waited for Van's return. I really wanted the hunter to enjoy his weekend off, he was gone so often and he worked so hard…

I closed my eyes for a brief second and sighed.

"What's a pretty little thing like you doing all alone in a place like this? Going somewhere sweetheart?" I blinked open my eyes to see were the voice was coming from. The owner of the voice came from an handsome man perhaps just a few years older then me. The man approached me with an inquiring French accent and a easy smile not all that unlike Lupin's.

Despite his charming smile and French accent, something about the man in front of me made distinctly me uneasy.

I looked around for a quick escape but the roguish man was already standing directly in front of me. His narrow face with dark blue eyes effectively blocked my view of the rest of the station as he leaned in closer toward me with a proffered hand. I flinched away from the stranger as alarm bells started screaming my head.

The stranger's dark blue eyes assessed me with an invested stare as I backed away from him with a tight lip. Something about this man was really putting me on edge, but I couldn't figure out why. The refined features of his face should be attractive to me, if the way the women next to me were whispering was any indication. The stranger swept his shoulder length black hair back from his face with grace as he continued to smile at me. The easy gesture did nothing to alleviate the feeling of danger that was quickly growing in my heart.

My hand slid to my rapier on my side for comfort and assurance. "Pardon me sir, but I am waiting for _someone_. They should be returning any minute now, so please leave me alone."

I glared at him and flicked the weapon open an inch just to show I wasn't just making idle threats.

The man reached forward, still unconcerned, and grabbed my hand to prevent me from drawing the blade any further.

"Awe, come on sweetheart don't be that way. I think we could have a great time..." His eyes flicked behind me and he jerked his head forward.

I was really beginning to hate train stations as much as I hated cars.

My eyes narrowed as I realized I was trapped in the middle of an attack. I heard the figures start to move behind me, and by the sound of their footsteps, there seemed to be quiet a few of them. I strained to draw my blade. My eyes glazed over in surprise as I _attempted_ to draw my weapon. My hand shook with effort and the man in front of me started to scowl at my resistance. I started thinking I would need to attack him at point blank range just to get him away from me.

There was duel clicking sounds from behind the man and a threateningly low warning growl. "I suggest you release the lady and be on your way. Now."

My eyes lit up at the sound of Van's smoldering extremely aggravated voice, but my joy quickly turned to concern as I started to panic for Van's safety. I knew the man in front of me wasn't human, no normal human couldn't overpower me with such ease. My fear level only mounted as I realized he was stronger than me, and that the person I cared about most in the world was only a few feet from an completely unknown threat.

There was a flash of color in the man's eyes and then the stranger in front of me just grinned as he slowly released my hand. A deep blue eye winked at me in a rough roguish manner as the man slowly, unconcernedly, turned away from me to face the threat behind him. I listened for the footsteps of the other men who had been approaching me from behind. Their footsteps quickly disappeared into the crowd around us.

"All right. All right, calm down!" The strangers black hair swayed gently as the man shook his head in an attempt to pacify the pissed off hunter. "No need to be offended, I was just offering to escort her."

Van's hot eyes flashed at the strangers audacity. I could see the hunter grip the triggers on his shotguns a little tighter as he did not respond. By the way Van was glaring, I had a decent guess that he didn't have the guns packed with rock salt.

I bit my lip and didn't say anything.

The stranger seemed to realize he wasn't getting any further with me and he just backed away from the situation. Before he left totally, the stranger grabbed my hand and bowed over it. "I'll be seeing you later cutie! Feel free to give me a call anytime."

I yanked my hand away from him as if struck by lightning and stuck my nose up into the air in disdain. I tried to pretended that he didn't bother me, but his oily voice was quickly grating on my nerves.

Van walked up next to me and put a protective arm around me as the threat walked away. My hunter looked down at me with concerned blue-violet eyes. "I apologize, I miscalculated. I didn't think anyone would bother you all the way over here."

I looked up at him to see a still very angry, very concerned face.

Van looked down into Sierra's shocking blue eyes and growled to continue his explanation. "I am sorry I was delayed. It appears that our train should be coming into the station anytime now."

The hunter returned his gaze back to the retreating stranger that had dared to lay a hand on his lady. Van's anger smoldered deep within him as he watched the black haired man exit the station still internally seething.

"It's...alright."

The hunter looked down as he felt Sierra shaking under his touch. The soldier felt something in his chest tighten and Van put his hand back on his shotgun in rage.

I tried to put the stranger out of my mind but Van's concerned blue-violet eyes had me confessing before I even knew what I was confessing to. "I was…. scared. Whatever that man was he wasn't human."

Van's eyes shot back to the last place he had seen the threat. When his eyes failed to locate his quarry, the hunter snorted. "Thk. Let's move closer to the platform."

I nodded in agreement and reached down to collect my trunk, only to brush my fingertips over the top of the Van's capable hands.

"I got them." The hunter murmured as he kept his eyes open for threats. The angel still looked distinctly uneasy as the hunter collected their things. Van's low voice broke the silence between them. "I can handle it. Don't worry about it."

On the inside, the hunter was deeply concerned and he went into full defensive mode. Van had rarely ever seen Sierra that scared unless it involved him...or thunderstorms. The hunter hefted the trunk easily over his shoulder with one hand and passed Sierra their train tickets. Van noticed his lover's hands shook slightly as she accepted the tickets from him. The angel looked around nervously before she scanned the contents.

Van frowned and double checked their surroundings. He made sure to stay alert. Something didn't feel quite right to him, and Sierra wasn't shook up by just anything.

* * *

Shortly afterward the couple boarded a sleek black steamer.

The locomotive sat in the station quietly while its passengers exited and entered its depths like small ants before the mound.

Sierra sat on the opposite side of the booth from Van. The women stared out the window still looking unsettled. The hunter sighed and followed her into their booth. This wasn't looking like a good start to their trip.

Van secured the trunks overhead and sat down to study the fretting angel in front of him. "What is bothering you? If it was going to upset you this much I should have shot him like I was going to."

Sierra's uneasy blue eyes turned and scolded him. "Van Helsing!"

Van folded his arms and raised his eyebrows to her protest. "Hmph. What? He dared lay a hand on you, I believe I am reacting within reason."

Sierra's eyebrows knitted together as she scowled at him. The angel went to open her mouth and then closed it, like she was going to say something but thought better of it.

Van waited for her to say something and it took a few tries before the lady managed to find her voice. "...That man wasn't human. I was deeply concerned when he was able to prevent me from drawing my rapier, but when you got behind him...I was just...really worried."

Van snorted in response to the angel's worries. "I told you before I can handle it."

The hunter frowned as a sudden thought passed his mind. If this is how she reacted normally to a threat, how did she feel about him serving as a bodyguard for Renfield? The thought had come to his mind several times before this, but Van had never asked. The hunter did so now.

"Then, how do you feel about me working for Marquis?"

I blinked back at Van, unsure of how to answer him. Sure, there had been a few incidents over the past few months, but Van had always came home without a scratch on him. I knew my hunter was one of the most capable...but that never stopped me from worrying about him. I played with my hair, bringing a side bang in front of my face to help me hide my nervous expression. I looked away from Van shyly and stuttered to answer his intense question.

"...I...I don't particularly like you being gone...or...doing that job…"

I flushed as Van's eyes sparked. I tried to express my thoughts more clearly.

"I miss you when your gone! The traveling trips are the worst...but I understand why you do it... sort of, anyway." I smiled nervously as the whistle sounded to signal our departure. "You're doing it...to atone. I can understand that and I can support it...even if I don't care for it."

I hid my face with my hands. "I just don't understand what Saint said. About trying to provide for me…" I flushed heavily as the train started to move out of the station. Quickly, my embarrassment turned to cold dislike and I felt my face loose all its color as the train started to move beneath us.

Van felt the stirrings of a headache. The hunter pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "So, you can understand that I work as a bodyguard and deal with vampires all day long...for _atonement_ , but you can't understand that I also do it to be able to provide for you?"

The blue eyes on the women across from him were wide with emotion and the hunter was pretty sure she was going to start crying shortly if he couldn't find someway to divert her attention. Van knew she hated train rides, she disliked almost all forms of steam transportation outside of airships. The man watched as she grew tight lipped and the angel's face lost all its color.

The hunter sighed as he second guessed his plans.

Sierra managed to find her voice as Van was trying to think of a way to attract her attention.

"Do you...Would you mind...if I sat over there with you?"

Van readily shifted to the side as the angel slipped in between him and the window.

The women promptly snuggled up to him and muttered under her breath. "...Actually I think it's rather admirable that you are so dedicated."

Van's heart skipped a beat as Sierra smiled up at him. Her eyes were still wide with fear, but the shaky radiant smile was all for him.

The angel continued her sentence, while her voice found a bit of strength as she talked. "Your sense of duty is commendable, and it makes me feel better knowing you're there to watch over Delly and Raphael as well."

Van just shook his head with a frustrated scowl. The hunter knew she was smiling to reassure him.

The booth grew silent as Sierra started to settled down, the angel began to get used to the ride and the motion of the train as time passed.

The angel moved as her confidence grew and she started to watch the scenery pass by. The colors of autumn were everywhere, draping the countryside in the brilliant russets and golds of the season. Her eyes widened in enjoyment as she watched the memorizing color show pass by.

The hunter was deep in thought, but the sound of light laughter coming from the woman next to him drew his attention. Van cracked open an watchful eye to see what the cause of the disturbance was. "What is so amusing?"

Sierra tried to stifle her laughter as she watched out the window. "Hehe...its nothing really."

Van peered out the window but saw nothing unusual in the passing countryside.

The angel hid her laughter behind her hand in a polite gesture as she gestured out the window with the other. The reflection of him caught Van's gaze. "It's just like you said. This is one of a most desirable routes in all of England."

Van lowered his gaze to stare down at the angel securely nestled up against him. The hunter replied to her in a voice that did not imply that it was the scenery that he thought looked nice. "So it is."

* * *

A very short, 4 hour, train ride later found us in a mystical place.

I pushed up the brim of my hat and looked around the train station. It was rather deserted at the moment, but the whole place was decorated to welcome autumn. Corn, squashes, corn stalks, and hay bails were placed in strategic locations along with strange orange round objects. Posters adorned the walls advertising events while a large welcoming banner hung over the entrance of the station loudly exclaiming "Welcome to the Oxford's Harvest Festival."

There were a lot of different people milling about, but as they were all in costume it was a little alarming. I was insistently wary of them. The ones in theatrical masks that were crying were particularly disturbing to me and I cringed away whenever they drew near. However the colorful festival decorations and the cheerful atmosphere were enough to draw me in regardless of my initial apprehension.

Van followed behind me diligently as I approached a crier with interest.

"Oxford Harvest Festival! You don't want to miss it! Get the list of events here!"

"Can I have a listing, please?" I inquired to the crier nearest me.

The boy was not more then a year or two older then Delly and he turned turned around to meet me with a heavy Scottish accent. "No problem, that's 2 pence madam."

My hand started to make for my coin purse but Van's hand already was exchanging coins with the boy. The crier took the change and handed Van a log book with a lopsided smile. "Thank you kindly sir. This here has a list over events, times, and locations. Each location should have a desk, you can go to if yous have any questions."

Van handed me the booklet and he extended his arm to me with a reproachful look. I gingerly set my hands on his arm and the soldier proceeded to escort me out of the station, out into the street. For some reason the hair on the back of my neck stood up as if we were being watched and I looked around to attempt to locate the source.

I guessed the Van also sensed we were being watched as he looked around with a glare and growled. "Keep hold of my arm."

I looked around at the busy street that was filled with a crowd of people steadily making their way into the festival. "...Van, I think we are being watched."

I whispered as I looked around. I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. The sensation of being watched didn't dissipate, but it also didn't feel malicious either.

Van chuckled next to me as he watched the crowds. "You're so oblivious, its cute. However, I don't dare let you wander off by yourself now."

I took a more careful look around and still found nothing strange as I felt a blush started to creep up onto my cheeks. "Van, what is the problem?"

Van stopped and looked around. The hunter was trying to remember the way to the hotel he had made reservations to stay at, but he was having a hard time recalling street name amist all the stares that were locked onto the heavenly woman that was hanging onto his arm. Sierra really had no idea, but all the attention was clearly locked on her. It irritated the hunter and caused him to be a bit more distracted from the task at hand then he should have been.

"I don't want one of these other men to just whisk you away."

The man's short reply caused me to frown as I tried to figure out what he meant. It clicked suddenly. Van's dour expression and his comments suddenly made a lot more sense to me. I laughed. The lightheartedly silvery laughter chimed in tune to our footsteps. "Are you concerned that one of these men could even come close to competing with you?"

Van finally recalled the street name. The hunter proceeded to gracefully guide her down the street with a slight scowl and a hit of irritation in his eyes.

The hotel Van was searching for was the most recommended place to stay in Oxford and it was located in the middle of the festivities.

However the location was also highly demanded, so it had a strict reservation only policy. The hunter shrugged, he always came prepared. Van left very little to chance if he had a choice, and the hunter had began planning his trip well over a week ago. His reconnaissance mission had been successful, and he had made reservations as soon as he had heard of the place. The hunter had firmly intended to make the trip as soon as he had learned about Sierra's fascination with the changing of the seasons. The hunter scowled aggressively as he remembered the angel had been in confinement for the past five years and he inadvertently felt tension race down his arms as he remembered.

Bright blue eyes ducked into his field of vision, effectively cutting off his unpleasant train of thought.

"Van?"

The hunter softened his expression and let the thought go.

"This way."

The concerned blue eyes Sierra was giving him informed the hunter that she didn't quite believe him, but Van escorted her into her into the hotel without another thought.

* * *

Van clicked the door to their temporary accommodations closed with a irritated sigh. At least they were finally out of the public eye and the watched feeling had finally disappeared.

Now inside his hotel room, the hunter started to relax and look around. The rooms was furnished as elegantly as he had expected them to be based on the reviews.

Sparkling crystals and gold accents bounced and reflected light across the room that was decorated in pale blues and creams. A full living room set sat by a empty hearth and there were windows on three sides of the topmost story room. Into the next room the hunter could make out a large bed covered in all white, and to the other side of the room, just barely visible was a large bathroom.

Sierra's high heels clicked across the shinning marbled floor and then were muffled by the plush accent rugs. "Van! Van Helsing!"

Van set down their luggage in the bedroom and then came back out to enjoy to looks of awe that crossed over Sierra's face. The hunter chuckled as he moved to join her in the center of the room.

I just stood in the middle of the room, lost in the grandeur of the room around me. I suddenly felt really small and insignificant as I gasp out my surprise.

"I take it that you approve?" Van's voice sounded from behind me and I leaned back into him. I felt the hunter wrap his arms around me and I closed my eyes breathlessly.

"This is is very...sudden..."

The hunter struggled to interpret the meaning of those words and he felt the angel's lips on his cheek.

"Thank you dear, it's lovely."

The angel pulled away from him then and wandered over to the windows facing the sun. Van followed her after a few seconds pause, not sure if she was happy or if she was just saying that. The hunter's eyebrows knitted together as he watched his lady put her hand up to her mouth in wonder as she looked out the window.

"Oh my…"

Van shot a glance out the window to see the river Thames as the sun as starting to set in the sky.

"This is an amazing view!"

Van's complete attention was quickly captured by a quick flurry of movement next to him. The hunter had to catch himself as Sierra threw herself on him with a squeal of delight.

"It's amazing!"

Somewhere inside him, Van felt a string of worry dissipate. The hunter leaned down and nuzzled the angel, delighted that she was starting opening up again after the harrowing experience at the station and train ride.

"There's a balcony on the other window in the bedroom." The hunter whispered and he felt the angel respond to his hushed comment.

The angel shifted her gaze towards the bedroom with excitement.

I caught Van grinning as I pulled away from him and headed over to the bedroom.

"Van! You did not…" I exclaimed as I looked out onto the town with excitement.

The hunter was still following me, he seemed to be enjoying my reaction to his surprises quite a bit. Van walked over to the large transparent doors that led to the balcony and opened the door for me with a chuckle. "I did. I chose this room specifically because I knew you like watching the morning sunrise."

I stepped out onto the balcony as the swift wind coolly invaded the room. "Haha, look at the festival!"

I leaned over the railing twitching with excitement as I watched the people milling about down the street below us. A spark of color caught my eye again and I couldn't help but ask. "Van, what are those bright orange things down there?"

Van leaned over to see what I was inquiring about. The hunter's critical gaze honed in on three younger children toting the bright orange orbs that had caught my attention. There was a man, women, and a toddler following closely behind them.

"Those appear to be pumpkins."

I watched the group with evident interest as one of the kids race forward to get ahead of their siblings and tripped. The orange pumpkin ball fell from the kids hands as he face planted into the ground and started to cry.

Van retrieved the booklet from me and sat down in one of the chairs on the balcony. The hunter decided to utilize his free time wisely He flipped to open the booklet and started reviewing the events for the weekend. Van had a couple of things in mind, but the hunter was interested in seeing what the town had to offer in order to supplement his main ideas.

I watched as the pumpkin dropped from the kids arms and started rolling down the hill unscathed in wonder. The man, probably the child's father, stopped escorting the women and toddler and he skated forward to catch the pumpkin for the kid. After securing the rolling orange ball, the man easily lifted the crying kid up and checked him over. I watched with sad eyes as the mom and dad fretted over the crying child.

"Aw! I hope he isn't hurt! Poor thing!" I thought about what I has just saw for a second and looked at Van with renewed interest. "...Wait a second... they roll?! What a strange fruit…"

"It is a winter squash." Van continued to flip through the booklet and absently answered as he skimmed through lists. "Have you never saw a watermelon either?"

The hunter jerked his head up at look at the angel suddenly, intent on seeing how she answered his question.

I leaned on the edge of the balcony and thought.

Mostly, I remembered what Impey had made, but I couldn't recall seeing either one of the particular foods Van was mentioning. "Are those the big green striped things I seen all summer at the market?" I looked back at my hunter who was beginning to look a bit stressed again. "Is it something I can eat?"

The soldier was already tucking the booklet into his coat pocket as his plans changed to meet the angel's request. "Pumpkins are only ripe around this time of year, however I am unsure of how a watermelon escaped your attention."

I frowned and pursed my lips. "What is that supposed to mean?!"

Van gestured for me to follow him. "Come on, it's about supper time anyway. I have a restaurant in mind."

I followed after him still trying to figure out what he meant. "Van Helsing! What does that mean?"

The hunter closed the door to the hotel room and locked it securely behind us.

* * *

The stern faced hunter led the way downtown.

People were milling about everywhere, so I stuck close to Van on instinct. The hunter keep glancing down at me, as if to make sure I hadn't wandered off. After we had been walking a while he sighed. "Given your past, I am a bit unclear on how you have never encountered a pumpkin or watermelon before."

"Is-is that what is bothering you?" I mumbled feeling a bit upset. It kind of felt like he was half teasing me half in awe. I stuttered to respond to him. "Maybe I have! I-I just...don't remember it..." I protested and then started to mumble again. It was kind of unsettling not remembering if I had ate something before. I did not remember the orange pumpkins at all, and I was drawing a blank on the stripy watermelon fruit as well.

"They are both fruits too..." I exclaimed, my memories were still fuzzy.

"It depends on who is asking. Watermelon are naturally sweet, pumpkins are not naturally sweet." Van replied as he navigated the crowds.

I clicked my tongue at him. "You sound like Fran, why the interest?"

Van stopped as we waited for a break in traffic and he replied stiffly. "My interest in cooking has led me to try many different things."

I really dug into my memories, but I could not easily recall ever having consumed anything orange or stripy green in color. A several years trapped in a blood lab, eating whatever was put in front of me, and military rations prior to that, really didn't leave me a lot of room for variety. Still, in my more distant memories I vaguely remembered all the cooking lessons my mother had forced onto me before I joined the royal guard and I began to think about those in earnest.

I was shaken out of my current train of thought as I felt Van's lips on my forehead.

"Don't worry about it, I will fix this right now." He murmured as he pulled away from me.

I blushed and stood there feeling the blood start to run to my face. "Van..."

Van went to move forward as I remained still.

The hunter turned around with a raised eyebrow. "Wha...?"

Van didn't get a chance to finish his sentence as I kissed him soundly. When I let Van go up for air, there seemed to be more then a few people offended at our public display of affection, while many others seemed to be looking forlorn.

The hunter just smirked and shook his head at the angel's audacious behavior. It really was never a dull moment with her around.

* * *

The waiter sat down an assortment of plates in front of us and I looked over at Van. The hunter was just looking at me expectantly with his hand on the side of his face.

"Well, which one are you going to try first?"

He asked me as I looked around at dishes feeling a bit overwhelmed. There were a lot of choices and I had needed to pay careful attention to know which dish was which. Luckily, they were all sample sized, so there wasn't that much food on the table, just a lot of plates and a variety of things to try.

"Ummm...which ones do you want to try?" I asked him still looking at all the different dishes undecidedly. Most of the food in front of us was a muted orange color, but all the unusual smells still were making my mouth water. I looked around at the other tables and observed that many very similar dishes being served, so what was in front of us appeared to be the specialty for this restaurant.

"I'll be fine with whatever you don't care for."

I frowned at the hunter as the waiter came over and offered us more wine. Van held up an already empty glass, and I offered up mine for a refill as well.

"If you are looking for recommendations, I recommend the apple pumpkin soup and pumpkin cranberry salad miss."

Van chuckled as I thanked the waiter for his opinion and pulled the recommended dishes over to me in order to test them. I look a carefully bite of the salad and closed my eyes in bliss. It was sweet yet savory and the crumble of salty cheese on the top. The combination of sweet, savory, and salty made the dish very balanced and flavorful. I carefully chewed, enjoying both the texture and taste of the dish. After I swallowed I informed Van of my opinion.

"It's good!"

The hunter broke into a smile. "I am glad you are enjoying it."

I noticed that Van still didn't have anything in front of him, but I knew he had not ate since our light repast prior to leaving the mansion hours ago. I picked up my fork and offered him the next bite. "You should try it next!"

The hunter didn't hesitate as he leaned over and accepted the morsel of food off my fork. Van chewed on the bite of salad as I turned to try the soup next. I blew on it softly to cool it and noticed Van had finished chewing. "So?"

Van shot me a lopsided grin. "It's not bad, but I am having way more fun watching you try it though."

I blushed as the hunter reached for his wine glass.

In the end we had ended up trying all the dishes: apple pumpkin soup, pumpkin cranberry salad , pumpkin risotto, pumpkin pierogies with a cream sauce, pumpkin quiche, pumpkin and chickpea croquettes, and pumpkin butter with biscuits. My favorite was probably the croquettes, but we had both drank quite a bit so I was little unsure by the end.

I felt a unfamiliar flush of alcohol in my system and looked across at my partner. I noticed Van had also gone rather silent. The hunter's face had a slightly rosy glow to it, but I couldn't tell if it was the light that was coming in from setting sun or the alcohol.

The hunter seemed to catch me studying him. "See anything of interest?"

I leaned forward and cradled my face in my hand feeling the heat from the alcohol spread as I admired him. "Mmm...just you."

Van mirrored my pose with a hint of a smirk tugging at his lips. "Is that so. So, what do you think?"

I was feeling warm and my blood was starting to sing as I replied to him. "I think...I think that this jacket needs to go." I started to unbutton my shirt and Van reached over in alarm to stay my hand.

"I think you gave drank quiet enough. I was alluding to what you though about your first taste of pumpkin."

Van removed his hand in order to relocate my wine glass out of my hand.

"Oh! It was very tasty. I think I had it as a pie before..." My words were more then a little unsteady and Van raised an eyebrow to me.

The hunter examined the angel as he watched her sway in her seat. He assumed she would have a greater tolerance for it considering his last experience in purchasing alcohol for her, but...Van looked over at Sierra's glass with suspicion. On further investigation the hunter concluded it was the same wine he had been drinking all night. It just appeared that the wine was fairly potent for his partner...or she really had no tolerance for it.

Van watched as the angel's gaze only intensified, and the hunter decided it was time to leave. "Thk. Let's head back."

I lazily grinned at him as I reached over and lay my hand on his arm. "You're scowling again, what's the matter love?"

Van look down at Sierra's hand as her fingers started to dance up his arm. Her playful touch gave him shivers, and he motioned for the waiter to bring him the check. The hunter glared down at the wandering hand as he asked. "Just how low is your tolerance?"

Van's voice sounded kind of off to me but I purred a reply. "Does it matter?"

Van pushed my hand off him. "It would appear its dangerously low."

I pouted at him as the waiter came cover and handed Van the check. The hunter paid it quickly as he stood up. "Just keep the change. Sierra, let's go."

I drifted out of my seat and trailed behind him absently...almost absently...I was having a rather hard time not staring at his ass as I followed the hunter out of the restaurant.

Van was feeling perplexed. He knew it was the wine, but Sierra had become so clingy on the way back to the hotel he quickly resolved to not repeat the experience. The angel was all giggles as she hung onto his arm and toyed with him. Her ample bust rubbed against his arm every time she tripped and she would just laugh it off, but the more disturbing part to him was when she reached around and brushed against his front.

"That's enough." The hunters eyes about glowed as he growled to get her to calm down and behave. His angel just laughed and leaned in to kiss him.

"Don't be like that, Abraham." She stopped and leaned on him, the angel straddling his leg as she purred. Van glared down into the blazing silver eyes, as she trailed her hand across his chest. "...I want you."

Sierra planted a seductive kiss on his neck and then pulled away with a giggle. "Hehe, look at your face!"

Van snapped out of his shock and grabbed her arm. "Come on."

The soldier pulled the tippsy angel into his arms and he proceeded to carry her back to the hotel.

* * *

By the time Van managed to get Sierra inside the hotel room, he was gravely regretting his miscalculations. The angel had already divested him of his tie and all the buttons she could reach on his shirts. A good portion of his chest stood exposed to the cool night air and he shivered. Still, the hunter was a lot less concerned at her undressing _him_ in public then when she had tried to repeat the experience on herself.

Van pushed the angel onto the couch and her pleading eyes glared up at him as he pulled away from her. The soldier coldly started to button his shirts back up as she protested.

"Vannnn!"

This really wasn't going how he planned, she always seemed to upend his most carefully laid plans. The begging blue eyes distracted him as the angel slowly began undoing her own shirt. Van's eyes caught sight of her slight movement and quickly he noticed he could make out almost all of her bust. The hunter groaned, this wouldn't do. He steadfastly refused to encourage her behavior and he wasn't willing to take advantage of her given her drunken state.

"I am leaving, I'll be back soon."

"Vvvvaaannn!" The eyes were welling up with tears as he turned to leave. "Pleaassseee donnn't llleeaave meeee!"

The hunter got a few steps towards the door as the tears started to fall in protest to him leaving. It was one of the hardest things the hunter had done in a while, walking away from the angel's needy tears while his body responded to her pleas.

"No. I'll be back in a few hours."

Van heard a rustling behind him and before he could escape out the door Sierra had her arms round him and she was pleading frantically. "Please stay! I'll behave! I promise! Just don't go! I am sorry!"

Van stared at the floor fighting between comforting her and leaving for her own good. The wine had been a really bad idea...or maybe he should have drank a bit more of it...

The hunter gave in. Van couldn't bring himself to walk away from her, not after all the times he had pushed her away. The hunter slowly turned around as Sierra buried her head in his chest and hugged him hard enough to hurt.

"...Thank you" She whispered as he wrapped his arms around her.

Van felt her crying into him and the hunter could only imagine what drove her to this level of desperation was his prior treatment and actions.

The hunters stoic expression broke as his angel sobbed into him. "Hush, don't cry now. I'll stay..."

* * *

Author Note:

Haha! Lots of set up here, and before I got forward...yes this is meant to be the an additional story on my cannon story line.

I said before if you didn't understand some of the reactions you might be better off reading the "Silver Lady" first. However, I will note that Sierra's drunk state has changed a bit from hammering down whisky to wine. She has quiet a tolerance for alcohol, so I can only imagine how much wine they drank...but some of is her changing personality and attachment to Van. (Prior: indifference to human behavior vs strong attachment/bonds with the hunter) Drinking...has strange effects on people.

As for what is a pumpkin? If you have never had one, maybe you have tried a yam or sweet potato? Its a savory veggie that also can be a sweet, so its kind of like that in taste...just more earthy? Its a very distinctive taste, anyway. It's a fall veggie in the gourd family from mexico. They would have been in Britain about 200 years, so it is kind of 'strange' Sierra hasn't 'tried' them. (She has, she just cant remember based on her rather traumatic past, so they are making new memories to replace the ones Sierra's having a hard time recalling. ^_^)

I plan of trying to release on the weekend, Sundays probably. So check back in or follow/fav to come back and see where this is going! How will Van's weekend escape turn out after meeting the dark haired stranger? What will happen at the festival? More answered to follow!


	3. Chapter 3: Afternoon Festivities

Chapter 3: Afternoon Festivities

That next morning I woke up alone in a large expanse of white.

I groaned and pulled the blankets up over my head to stop the weak sunlight from disturbing me. Slowly, I began to recall why my head hurt so much. This was shortly followed by a trip to the privy as my stomach rebelled against my poor life choices.

Van must have heard me moving around because as I opened the door to the bedroom he was waiting by the doorway. He made an attractive sight. The hunter was in loose sleepwear pants and had no shirt on as he scrubbed his hair back and forth trying to wake up. I briefly wondered where his shirt had got to and then I looked down at what I was wearing.

He yawned and looked at me with sleepy but alarmingly inquiring eyes. "Are you alright?"

I nodded sourly still not feeling well, but internally I was happy I was wearing his shirt. I looked around for my trunk in desperation."How about...no more wine…"

I held my head as Van made his way over to him and snuck his hand around my waist. The hunter placed a tender kiss on the back of my neck as I rummaged around in the steamer trunk he had packed for me. "I agree, it has quite an adverse effect on you."

I turned and nestled up against him. "I am sorry."

Van nuzzled me tenderly. "My dear, your affections last night were very prominent. It was….endearing."

I sensed an underlying concern in his voice. "...My behavior last night is admonishable…" I flushed a deep crimson as I remembered some of the things I said and done.

"You had the most genuine reactions to me. I found you very hard to resist, but I did not want to do something you might regret later." He growled this into my ear as I sorted through what I wanted to wear for the day. Van had packed a little of everything, and my eyes fell on a lace number. I shot a glance at him and found the soldier looking away from me as if not to see what I was looking at.

My head throbbed and I just added them to my attire for the day.

"...So much lace, so many ruffles…" I muttered as Van let me go. "You know it wasn't long ago you told me this stuff wasn't practical!" I vented and I heard him chuckle as he left for the other room.

"But you look stunning in it my dear."

I blushed heavily as he walked away, still feeling slightly cross but knowing what Van said to be genuinely what he felt. I wondered where the hunter was going, but a few seconds later there was a knock on the door. I poked my head around the corner inquisitively and saw room service standing at the door. Van seemed to be having a chat with the doorman and I shrugged before deciding to quickly duck into the shower.

While I showered I pondered over the last few months and how changes slowly seemed to be happening. Even if we had been together for a few months, we still did a lot of things separately. I think it was because Van was willing to take things slow. When I approached him on it, he had just smiled at me and said he wanted to take things slowly. We still did not share a room, and we rarely even slept together let alone anything else. We really operated independently of each other, but I cherished the time he did spend with me. That's not to say we did not do a lot of things together, but with his work schedule being so demanding and me having taken on my own responsibilities, outings like _this_ were a totally new thing for the both of us.

I got out of the shower and dressed. Outside the black lace number I had pulled out of the trunk earlier, I pulled out a long sleeved white lace blouse and paired it with black pants. I wore my normal thigh high boots. I laced up a brown under-bust corset with shoulder straps and stepped into a short black bustle skirt that cascaded out to the side of me and stopped just short of the floor.

I stepped out into the room and couldn't find Van anywhere. It was just starting to get light. I checked my watch, and read it was a little past 6. It was a little late for me to just be getting up, but I felt bad that I hadn't been stealthy enough to let Van sleep. Still...even showered, I felt like hell. It had to be the alcohol, perhaps I had no tolerance for wine.

"Van? Van Helsing?" I called out for him inquisitively, but there was no response forthcoming.

I started to panic when I could not find him and I looked around the rooms more carefully. The hunter's shotguns were still here, so I assumed he had not went too far. I toweled my hair dry as I looked around for his jacket and his green military coat. Both articles of clothing were unaccounted for and I darted to the door.

"Van!?" I yanked it open only to be greeted by an empty hallway. I looked around but I found no sign of my hunter. I slowly closed the door to the room, trying to remain calm.

"Its alright, he'll be back. He left everything else here…" My rational was correct, I knew it, but I had an uneasy feeling in my chest.

It always happened when he left, the anxiety of him leaving still weighed heavily on me even a few months after the incidents. I took a few deep breaths and my eyes drifted to the bedroom. The balcony there overlooked the streets...if Van had stepped out I could see him returning from there.

* * *

Balancing on the terrace railings I watched the mostly empty streets. The uneasy feeling in my chest had not subsided, and neither had my headache.

"Ugghh….you would think I would have learned by now…" I mumbled as I rubbed my temples. The morning light warmed me, even as the cool autumn breeze nipped at my exposed skin. I shivered and swept my wings around me to fend off...what was I subconsciously fending off?

The cold didnt bother me.

I opened my eyes and looked around carefully.

A movement a few rooftops away had me standing up on the railings while attempting to get a better look. "What is…?"

I was going to fly over but a strong feeling of being watched overrode my curiosity. I looked towards the ground and found Van looking up at me from the street. The hunter held a small paper bag in his hand along with two cups. I waved down at him nervously and he just scowled back up at me as if to tell me to get back on solid ground.

I knew the reason for his scowl and I hopped back onto the more secure part of the terrace. The last time I had done something that risky I had thrown myself off a eight building. Still, I ruffled my wings and settled them back down. I was relieved to see him. I knew he would be returning to the room shortly so I stayed outside in order to soak up the sun's warming rays.

* * *

"Where you having fun?" Van asked me as he sat the cups down on the table next to the bag down.

I looked away from the hunter, who rather than being upset with my risky behavior just looked rather concerned. "...Ah...yes."

The hunter sighed and dug around in his coat pocket for the sole reason he had gone out so early. "Here." Van held out a small package to the angel who was nursing the hot black tea he had brought back.

She held out her hand and the hunter dropped the package into her outstretched hands.

"What's this?" I asked looking at the tiny folded brown package. It was only about as large as a set for earrings.

The hunter sipped his black coffee and looked out on the town as he replied. "Something for your headache."

I set down my tea and opened the small package. Two white pills dropped out and I caught them in my other hand as the realization hit me. Van had stepped out to get me medicine because he knew I wasn't feeling that great. The hunter had even managed to secure a small breakfast in the short time I had taken a shower. I felt the pricks of tears on the corner of my eyes as I took the medication.

An errant tear ran down the side of my face and I was startled as I felt the hunter wipe it away.

"I don't mean to make you cry." He whispered softly.

"It's nothing..." I dried my eyes as his hand drifted up to pat my head. I leaned into his touch feeling my headache dissipating at his slight touch.

Van was staring at Sierra's silvery white wings with a thought. He started to put his hand towards them and then stopped.

I was busy admiring the sunrise and eating one of the pastries Van had brought back. "Hmm, something the matter?"

Van didn't answer me, but I caught sight of a wayward feather. I frowned and brought the wing in to look at it closer. Yup, that feather would need to be pulled.

"Doesn't that hurt?" The hunter asked as I yanked on it.

"It's not pleasant if that's what your asking." Van frowned as I examined the feather. It wasn't a flight feather, so it was almost meaningless to me. I was going to toss it, but Van was watching me so intently that I offered it to him hesitantly. "...Umm would you like it?"

The hunter took the feather from me and examined it with evident interest.

"...You have offered me a feather before..." The hunter ran his finger down the edge of the white-silver plumage while I sipped my tea.

"That one is meaningless. Only flight feathers have any meaning in our culture. Those ones grow back, I only get so many flight ones..."

I got an idea of what the movement had been out of the corner of my eye. "Hey Van?"

The hunter looked up at me from twisting the feather around in his hands looking deep in thought. "Hmmm?"

"You can touch them. It's not like I will break because you touched them."

Van jerked his head up as I got up from my seat and closed the distance between us.

Van's world was enveloped in a cascade of white as Sierra leaned over him purring. "I won't break that easy, Sir Van Helsing." She smiled at him while she teased him with a coy smile.

The hunter reached out and touched the angel's face. "Your use of that title is intriguing."

Sierra grabbed his hand and promptly removed his glove. "The way your treating me, its like I am some sort of breakable princess." Silver hints flickered in her eyes as she kissed him and then forced his hand into her wing.

"Don't be afraid to touch me."

Van froze not wanting to ruin the moment. Sierra guided his hand down the expanse of her soft, silky, wing feathers. "See. I don't break."

"I see." Van leaned forward with his other arm and set it on her waist in order to guild her in closer to him. "You are fascinating my dear."

The hunter leaned in and kissed me and I felt the last of my headache disappear. Van ran his hand softly over my wing once more and I trembled slightly.

The hunter's eyebrows raised as he noticed a heavily blush start to keep onto the woman's face. She seemed to be trying to say something to him, but it came out in a nervous sputter. "A-a bit more...more forcefully p-please."

Van stopped entirely and the angel pouted. "Please don't stop. It felt nice...just…"

"Just what?"

Sierra muttered under her breath and he almost didn't catch what she said.

"It tickles?" Van's eyes widened in surprise and he stroked the wing ever so lightly. "You can feel that?"

Sierra's other wing buffed him lightly over the top of the head as she stood up right sputtering. "Of...Of course I can!"

The hunter adjusted his glasses as the wings shimmered and disappeared in a burst of light. He coughed as Sierra took a few steps over and proceeded to take a drink of her tea. He coughed to clear this throat. "So, what do flight feathers represent?"

I felt myself start to choke as I swallowed the last of my tea, frantically regretting opening my mouth. The hunter looked up at me expectantly and waited to hear the answer to his question. I sighed and realized I wasn't going to get away without answering him. I sighed dejectedly and cobbled together an answer.

"...If an angel pulls out too many flight feathers, they are rendered flightless. It's a fairly severe punishment because it takes years for them to grow back if they ever grow back at all. So, to offer someone a flight feather is a token of sincerity...among other things."

"I see." The explanation was making Van deeply regret not accepting the feathers Sierra had offered him priory. The hunter couldn't stand his past insensitive actions. The thought of Finis had kept one while he, himself, had rejected several...the realization ate at Van, and he found himself asking in a low voice..."...Were those yours?"

I went silent for a moment, careful to consider my answers. This conversation has taken another hard turn, and I sensed we were both hurting inside. I was slow to answer the hunter's question. "...Err, not exactly..."

Van sensed that Sierra wasn't telling him the whole story. The hunter stared at the feather in his hands. It felt like it weighed a ton, just like his heart. "...I am sorry."

I knelt down in front of him. "Van Helsing…"

I put my hand on his heart and leaned up to kiss him. The hunters eyes narrowed as I stopped a few meters away from his lips. My other hand ended up resting on his upper thigh. "Van…"

The hunter leaned forward as I pulled away slightly. "I would rip every last feather out of my wings if it would make you happy."

Van's eyes flashed and he recoiled from my dead-set sincere confession. I forced him back into the chair and passionately started pleading with him. "Let me finish before you start glaring at me like that! Van Helsing, you have granted me something I didn't ever think would be possible. My wings regrew for _you_ , Van. So, I need to be truthful about what this means to me!"

I leaned onto him and started to straddle the reluctant hunter who was starting to look slightly uncomfortable. Van looked somewhere between mortified that I would propose self mutilation for his sake and realization of the depths of my love for him.

I continued on as I settled into his lap and wrapped my arms loosely behind his neck. "It's customary for lovers to exchange flight feathers as a token of their devotion for one another."

I pressed my lips softly against his and the hunter gradually began to thaw out of his frozen expression to protest. "Don't! Don't you dare…"

I kissed him again just to force the hunter to be silent for a few more seconds. "...I thought you might say that. Otherwise you would have already had one. You are always so kind hearted…but, I didn't think you would appreciate the gesture regardless of custom."

Van was struggling to think, but it was difficult with the women on his lap doing her utmost best to distract him. The news of what the flight feathers meant in angel culture was new, but it was beginning to sound familiar. "...So essentially they are wedding bands?"

The mischievous angel smirked and kissed him again. The hunter wasn't sure if he should be upset or delighted but he reciprocate the gesture. She tasted like sweetened black tea to his bitter coffee. Even more delicious was the bits of sugar that clung to the angel's lips in a tantalizing tease. The hunter slowly licked the crystals off the angel's sugared lips as the she straddled him firmly in place.

The hunter felt his blood start to rush as her hands danced over his chest and into his hair. All too soon she pulled away and Van found himself lost in her blue eyes. "I wouldn't quite say it's akin to wedding bands, it's more of a confession. A confession that says " _I love you more the the air beneath my wings, I would rather be grounded then lose you_.""

The hunter lost all his willpower as Sierra kissed him again more forcefully. Van gave in and the hunter used his ridiculous physically prowess to lift her into the air with ease as he stood up. How he could have ever rejected a love so pure and faithful? Van smirked as he kissed her again.

"Your making this very difficult for me." The hunter growled into the kiss.

"Hmm...thats the idea." The angel pulled away from him with a grin. "I thought this get-a-way was to make up for all the time you were away with work."

"The point was to get _you_ out of London, away all to myself was just an additional bonus." The hunter made for the bedroom.

"Feeling a bit possessive?" She quipped to him as he pulled her into the bedroom.

"Very."

* * *

A much closer to noon…

I was being escorted around town by a much more mellowed hunter, who appeared to be willing to do just about whatever suited my fancy.

A crowd of kids in costumes ran by us roaring and having fun and I caught Van looking at them with interest.

"This whole town is in costume, could we maybe dress up to fit in better?" I asked him as the kids ran up to a local vendor as yelled in unison.

"Trick or treat!"

We watched as a merry shopkeeper handed out small penny candies to each of the children and they ran along in glee. A few of them turned back around and even managed to shout out a hurried 'thank you' before dashing off to follow their friends.

I chuckled as Van blinked down at me. "There is a renowned costume shop on the next block if your interested."

I flashed him a knowing smile. "You studied the map, hmm?" It was completely like him to have done this kind of preparation, and it made me both very happy and very sad at the same time.

Van struggled and altered our course to fit my request into our trip. "I wanted to be prepared just in case something caught your fancy. I don't want another repeat of last night."

I laughed at him. 'So…if I dress up in a costume...will you?"

The hunter responded slowly, thinking the request over. "...If you want."

A peal of light laughter from his side informed Van that he would probably be changing clothes shortly. If it made his angel happy, a small request like that was something he was willing to grant with ease.

"What would you like to dress up as?" The hunter asked as he looked down as her expectantly. He caught her staring into a local shop. "Did something catch your interest?"

I shook my head. "Not really…"

Van stopped and looked at the displays in the shop. It was a tailor's shop. "Ah, let's go in. I have been meaning to have your coat looked at, though I wouldn't be opposed to you getting a new one either." The hunter lead the way into the shop, regardless of my protests that I didn't need a new one.

A jolly looking man wearing a hat with a birds nest on top greeted us at the sound of the bell. "Ah Mr, Mrs, what can I do for you today?"

"My lady is looking to get sleeves for her jacket." Van wasted no time getting down to business.

The shopkeeper looked at me in surprise. "Are you not cold my dear? The weather has be a bit nippy as of late."

Van pulled away from me as the man started to examine the jacket with an appraising eye and a slowly growing frown. My eyes pleaded desperately with Van, and I hoped shopping with the hunter wasn't as chaotic as shopping with Saint.

It was a shorter assessment then I realized as the shopkeeper shook his head and stood up. "I can do it, but this is master-craft leather work. I am sorry to say, but I don't think a shop such as mine could do it justice."

Van frowned as Sierra let out a relieved sigh next to him. "Then perhaps you have other jackets that might be suitable?"

The hunter felt a tug on his jacket very faintly and he caught sight of Sierra's wayward expression.

* * *

Around lunch time we exited the shop.

I was feeling extremely cross as the hunter next to me struggled not to chuckle. It had been worse then shopping with Saint.

Between the shopkeeper and Van himself, I had been made to dress in all matter of outfits, and there were none that Van didn't praise in some way. We did end up purchasing a dress, and a new jacket for me, but in reality I had just been a dress-up doll.

"You looked magnificent in everything you tried, how can I be forced to pick between a select few?"

I realized Van was talking to me and I stuck my nose up at him, still currently irate with his behavior at the shop. "I can't believe you did that!"

The hunter realized he had done something to upset the angel, but he wasn't sure exactly what. Van's eyebrows scrunched together as he tried to read the woman next to him."I apologize if I was out of line, I only wanted you to be prepared for tonight."

I rolled my eyes as he lead the way towards the costume shop next.

"What is on the agenda tonight?" I asked him warily as we walked.

The streets were getting more crowded, but I was still irate enough that I was still refusing to accept Van arm. "Actually, what is on our agenda for this entire trip Van Helsing? You bought me all the way out here, but I have yet to figure out what your plan actually is."

The hunter opened the door to the costume shop. "I told you. My plan was to get you away from London and out of the mansion. Whatever else happens, that is my primary objective."

I scowled at him as we entered the shop. This time around, I was determined to get the upper hand.

The ladies in the shop turned to greet us. "Oh, welcome! Such a lovely couple! Are you newly weds?"

My current irritable mood evaporated as Van didn't quite deny the fact right away. "We are here looking for…"

The one lady waved her hand knowingly. "Costumes! Everyone is here for them! We are the busiest shop in town _and_ the most creative! Do you have any ideas on what you're looking for?"

My eyes widened as the shop ladies showed us racks upon racks of different customs. I looked at Van who seemed to be eyeing several outfits as once. I had been looking as well and there were too entirely many options for me to choose quickly. I froze as I looked over a red lace dress for a vampire noble.

Van low voice muttered into my ear. "Not that one."

I set it back on the rack cringing as I eyes the low cut outfit in agreement with Van. I hesitantly looked back at him. "Hey Van, I have an idea?" Van folded his arms and seemed to be waiting for me to explain my thought. "Can we pick out each other's costumes?"

Van's blue-violet eyes flashed at the suggestion and I guess he liked it. One of the shop girls overheard my suggestion and squealed with joy. "Oh that would be soo cute! We have couple's costumes, but letting you pick each others is even more adorable!"

"...That would be acceptable." His quiet voice didn't quite seem to match the enthusiasm I was seeing in his eyes, but it seemed like the hunter was willing to accept my proposal.

As soon as he agreed the shop ladies split us up.

"Hold on!" I protested, not wanting to be separated from my hunter just yet. Van looked over at me as I was carried away and only waved. He was busy listening to the shop lady in front of him. "Van!"

"Don't worry about him mistress.! Linda will help him pick a super cute outfit for you!"

I bit my lip as I was ushered into another part of the store, completely out of site of my hunter.

"Sooo! What were you thinking?" The two ladies in front of me started pulling things off the rack almost at their own whimsy. A prince's costume was the first one to get my approval and they nodded to each other before putting it on a separate rack for me.

"Let's keep looking!"

They were clearly having fun and I started to loosened up around them as their enthusiasm turned infectious. A werewolf's costume also got my approval, while I quickly declined a vampire noble's attire with a wayward uneasy gaze.

"Let's stay away from vampires…" I muttered and they quickly nodded to each other before making the outfit disappear out of sight.

"This one! This one my lady!" The youngest's loudly enthusiastic voice filled the rooms. I looked around from declining a police officer uniform and saw what was causing the commotion.

It was a corsair's outfit in royal blue.

My eyes lit up and I nodded, smitten at first sight. "I think our search is done!"

The rest of the ladies around me, went scurrying for accessories. I noticed I had collected all of the shop ladies, save but the one I had seen talking to Van earlier. I stopped one with a nod to the hat they were carrying. "Tell me, did Van come to a decision yet?"

There were some shaking of heads and one peeked around the corner. "No, it looks like Linda has it narrowed down to two. Which is probably good, I think I seen 7 or 8 up there at once."

Another one laughed at the other's statement. "Only 8? I counted no less the 15."

I paled and I suddenly wanted to ask what the two finally choices were. "Honestly, the lady would look good in both. She has the figure for either."

There was some light twittering and then a sudden gasp that slowly made its way across all of the attendants. "He picked one! He picked one!"

I was quickly ushered into the dressing room and divested of my clothes by the youngest attendant who had found the corsair costume I had been so taken by. I wasn't allowed to look at what I was going to wear either, but I heard the stall next to me close and then Van's low chuckle as he must have discovered the outfit I had chosen.

My attendant gushed about us while she worked. "This is fantastic! I like seeing the couples in matching attire, but this is going to be such a surprise! Oh, I am so happy to have worked today!"

She handed me a blindfold and I looked at her with a lost expression.

"Is this necessary?" I said as I tied it around my head.

"No, but I am feeling extra mischievous today."

There was the rustling of cloth all around me as I followed her directions. I distinctly heard the stall next to me click open and close, while my attendant took some deep inhales of breath. "I figured those old busys would do that, shame, I wanted you to be the first to see him…"

"Clara! What's taking you so long?" The protests started and I heard my attendant sigh softly.

"So many pieces to buckle in place…Hold on! I'm almost done!"

"Here is her hat!"

"Ack!" Clara sputtered and I head her moving around behind me. My attendant gave me a short brisk order as she pulled the strings of my corset tight. "Here, hold this for a second."

I felt something large being thrust into my hand and I started to guide my hands over it with interest. It was large and floppy, and after a short analysis, pointed. "Am I in a witch's outfit?"

There was some clucking as Clara finished pulling the corset laces tight. "Hold still now! Almost done!"

Clara set my hat at a jaunty angle and then she removed my blindfold with chipper smile. "See? Isn't it worth the wait?"

A black-deep purple outfit with multiple cut skirts that slit up to my thigh were reminiscent of my jacket. The stockings and short ankle high heeled boots were different, and for all Van's fuss about getting me a new jacket, this outfit also had no sleeves. However, long three quarters gloves covered my arms and were secured in place by a series of straps and buckles. A faint overlaying material sparkled and shimmered on my gloves, stockings, a few of the skirts, and some of the lacing on my bust.

I wasn't given any time to admire my outfit as my attendant grinned and shoved open the door.

"Hey wait….!" I was forced out of the chambers and was shocked into standing still as the rest of the attendants started screaming. Van, however had his back to me. The hunter seemed engrossed in another conversation with his only attendant.

"Oh such a delightful choice!"

"She looks stunning!"

"That color really makes her glow!"

The comments continued like that for a while and then they went silent as we all waited for Van to turn around.

I waited patiently for him to finish his conversation. I greatly admired the way the roguish hat, adorned with an assortment of feathers sat on top of his golden locks. The cut of the white cape swished as he made a few token hand gestures as Linda nodded with agreement, captivated me. However, what most caught my overall attention was just how well it fit him. I was so used to the military poshness of his outfit, that the roguish style of this costume was absolutely mesmerizing to me.

Clara coughed behind me and Van finally held up his hand to stem the conversation he had been having in order to turn to face me. Both of our eyes widened in surprise and I suddenly felt very, very, self conscious. Van cut a such dashing figure that I thought I could never come close to being a fitting match for him...

The hunter's cape fluttered as he turned toward me. "You look absolutely _bewitching_ my dear."

My cheeks heated up at his slight complement and I struggled to find my voice as I brought my hands up to my face in embarrassment. "Ah...!"

"Awwwee, look at her blush!"

"He is embarrassing her, its so cute!"

Van motioned me forward but it seemed like I had forgotten how to walk. Clara gave me a encouraging push and I took a tiny step forward. "Uhh…"

Van started to smirk as he chuckled to me. "Have I rendered you speechless?"

I looked away from him blushing furiously still unable to close the distance between us. Van stepped forward instead. The hunter sought to fill the gap between him and his lover with a hungering need.

"This has been worth it." I heard a slightly breathless whisper as I felt a hand under my chin. My gaze was gently forced up to meet his.

My world was enveloped in a whirl of blond and violet-blues as my hunter pressed his lips to mine. "As I said, my dear you are absolutely bewitching."

Our hats cut off the view from the peanut gallery standing around us, but that didn't stop them from going into a tizzy anyway. High pitched cheers went up around us and Van pulled away from me a just fraction. The hunter had huge grin on his face as he roguishly informed me of his pleasure. "I wouldn't mind dressing you more often."

I wasn't sure how to respond to him as I stood there still to nervous to say anything. "...I...I like your outfit too…"

Van laughed and offered me his arm. "Come on, Linda was just giving me directions to our next destination."

My stomach growled in response to Van's comment and the hunter shook his head in acknowledgement to my hunger. Van turned towards the door and proceeded to lead the way out back onto the town amidst a crowd of cheers from the shop ladies.

"Umm…" I was still speechless, but Van seemed to understand what I was trying to say.

"Mhmm, yes there will be food there. One of your favorites actually."

I tried to think about where he might be taking me next as we exited the store.

* * *

It was a further walk then I expected, but we were not in any rush.

Street shows and vendors lined the streets and made for an interesting show regardless of how fast or slow we walked. My hunter seemed to be enjoying my reactions to the events and people crowding around town. I was mesmerized by all the action taking place and the fun filled atmosphere.

"Van! Look at that! Oh, and over there!" I gushed to him as he escorted me through the growing crowds.

The street magicians, works of art, food stuff, acrobats, musicians and other general show performers seemed to be reveling in the festivities.

I had caught a few women eyeing Van as I had strayed to far from his side in order to admire a neglected looking older musician playing his violin on a slightly darkened alley. The musician's instrument had seen better days, and it had been is desperate need of tuning. However, he was still a decent musician despite his flaws, and the sound of his heartfelt music has rose above the din to pull me to him. Thus I willfully separated myself from Van trusting that my hunter wouldn't be far behind me.

The old timer I was helping gladly told me his story while I tuned the instrument and struck a slight ditty. The grandfather had complained that he just couldn't hear like he used to and he would rather not be playing at all, but he was in need of funds for his sick wife. I listened to his story and prayed that the grandfather did not see the slight tear that slipped down of the side of my cheek as I continued playing. When my short ditty was finished I turned to him with my eyes full of raw, emotional, tears and gladly handed over my entire purse into him. The grandfather's hands shook as he accepted my gift and we both burst into tears.

I left the old man smiling and bowing, and still trying to dry his tears. I tried to dry my tears as I returned to the last spot I had been with Van. I was feeling very worried that the hunter had not meet back up with me yet.

Which was about the time, I noticed several scantily clad females em massing in a centralized area. I caught a glance of a feathered hat and then swish of a white cape from within the center of the group.

The women were dressed in even lewder than normal call girl attire. Their mystical outfits were very befitting for the work they were doing. Many different types of fairies, nymphs, and succubi danced around the group trying to get the attention of the one man in the middle.

I froze as one of them boldly reached out and hung onto Van's arm with a seductive smile. I watched as the hunter glared down at the emboldened enchantress with a look that would have given a battle hardened man frostbite in the middle of summer. The woman's smiled wilted as her offer was not reciprocated by the man she hung onto and she quickly released Van's arm. The enchantress scampered off without another word. The rest of the women seemed to realize that Van was not in their district looking for pleasure and they went scurrying for cover.

I slowly came out of my shock as Van's hardened gaze managed to spotted me from within the crowd.

"I was wondering where you had disappeared off too…" The hunter admonished me as he strode over to me. I stared at the ground starting to feel the threat of tears once more. "Sierra, what's the matter?"

Van was quick to guess something was wrong, and the soldier quickly went on guard.

"..Its nothing..."

"Hmm? " Van held out a candied apple to me. "I went to go grab these and when I turned around you were gone. I was worried you had got lost so I have been searching for you."

The sweet notes of music from the old man's violin drifted over to us and I mumbled. "...I was over there helping him."

The hunter sighed as I did not accept the treat he held out to me. "...It is very like you."

Van continued to hold out his treat to me and I slowly accepted it, feeling upset.

The hunter knew something was wrong as the angel was slow to accept her favorite fruit. He watched silently as she slowly bit into the candied apple and started chewing. However, it was what he had did wrong that was a complete mystery to him. The silence between them was bothering him greatly, especially since she had seemed happy and content not all that long ago.

In truth, he _had_ been away from her a bit longer then he had intended, but _that_ didn't seem to be what was wrong. The hunter assessed the angel with care and he noticed her coin purse was missing and that she had been crying.

"Sierra, did something happen?" Van's low growl filled the space between them as he lead the way towards their next destination.

I continued to eat my apple in silence, trying to come to terms with my emotions. Van's cape fluttered in the winds and his hat was set at a jaunty angle as he looked at me expectantly. As he stared at me, I came to the uncomfortable realization of what was wrong.

I was jealous.

However, if I just continued acting the way I was, Van was just going to continue fretting that it was something deeper. I sighed with remorse as I polished off my snack.

"...I think I know what my issue is..."

Van's blue-violet eyes stared into mine as we stopped over a small bridge overlooking over the river.

"She was really pretty, and….honestly, I was really jealous of her grabbing you like that. It made me _very_ angry."

The hunter leaned on the railings and listened to me express my feelings. Van didn't laugh off my concern, instead his eyes told me he was remorseful and upset. "I shouldn't have let them get that close. I was a bit too preoccupied with trying to find you that I didn't notice them. When I spotted you walking down the street..."

I shook my head to delay his apology. "No, I shouldn't have wandered off like that…"

The hunter sighed still unsure of what he could have done differently.

The angel leaned over the railing next to him. "...and the reason I was crying is because I was happy. That old man you could hear playing? He was raising funds for his bedridden wife. He plays a good tune, its just he can't hear as well as he used too…"

I dropped my apple core dropped into the lake. The water ripples jutted out from the center in a clear cause and effect. The ripples raced down the length of the bridge until the more powerful waves ate them up.

"..."

The hunter was silent as he listened to Sierra speak.

So, she had been crying over something like that...he wasn't happy about her shedding tears...but at least she hadn't been robbed or kidnapped. So the hunter was a bit unsure of how he should handle her confession. Van reached out his hand and touched her cheek.

"I would rather not see you cry, but I suppose happy tears are acceptable."

The woman leaned into his gentle touch with a sigh as she closed her eyes.

Van took the opportunity to lean over and press his lips to hers before whispering softly. "You are much too trusting. If I don't keep an eye on you, someone is bound to steal you away from me."

Blue and silver tinged eyes opened to meet his. "...The scenario with Jack the Ripper wasn't all that great, I think I want to stay right here with you. If you don't mind."

Van growled remembering those harrowing days that Sierra had gone missing. How she had seemingly died in his arms shortly after he had found her down in the sewers... The hunter felt his heart began hammer in his chest. Fervently Van pulled the angel closer and hugging the her possessively. "I don't like thinking about that."

Sierra snuggled into his embrace. "Me either. It was terrifying, but I was so happy when you found me…I had been praying you would come save me."

Van pulled out of his hug just enough to look her in the eyes and promise. "I will always come for you, remember that. I won't let you go ever again."

The angel in his arms beamed up at him. Sierra's earlier sullenness apparently was a thing of the past. The angel's smile reflected all the trust and love she felt for him in a way words could scarcely begin to describe.

"I know."

* * *

Author's Note:

I said weekly to bi-weekly, so here we are week two. In truth I have a lot of little things I want to pack into this little adventure.

Tell me what you think? I totally had a hard time picking costumes for them, I just knew I could not let Van be a pumpkin. (Really Otomate? Van makes a creepy looking pumpkin...)

I think this date is totally cute/adorable and I am supper happy to have a chance to write them. However, we are seeing that they are clearly still working through things and trying to learn more about each other.

Information:

You also found out about the significance of angel wings and feathers but here's a bit more.

To clarify: Finis could have just plucked Sierra's flight feathers, but they do grow back. It takes a while, but Aliester and Finis were looking to ground her permanently. Several years later, some meddling from Saint, and a bunch of affection for and from Van basically restored her wings.

Among other things: flight feathers are also a token of affection/love/devotion/commitment but the clan's feathers can also bring about different 'blessings/luck';

I have already said there is a caste system in place. However, I think I failed to mention the different factions. The Sun vs Night factions, there isn't any particular social issues here is more of a standing indicator to the clan you belong to. Golden feathers and warmer hair colors denote Sun-based clans, while Night-based angels are cooler in colors.

Clan parentage: Sierra's father is a direct line of Azrael while her mother used to be part of the Raphael's clan. Thus the reason Sierra's healing powers are so strong for the Azrael household is from her mother's linage. However, Lucus didn't inherent the healing powers and leaned more towards Azrael's main blessings, which is why he was working with Michael as an adviser.

For example:

Sierra offered Van towards the end of "Silver Lady", Michael's golden feather which is the blessing of 'protection'.

Raphael is also part of the sun-based clans, so he also has golden feathers. Raphael specializes in physical 'healing'.

Azrael is a moon-based angel and her silver feathers would offer 'guidance'.

Anyway, that's enough deep lore for now! Thank you for stopping in and reading! I hope you enjoyed and that you stop back in to see how this ends!


	4. Chapter 4: Orchard Evenings

Chapter 4: Orchard Evenings

Not long afterward we arrived at the orchard.

My eyes lit up with amazement as I look in the surrounding sight. Small trees, large trees stood laden with some of my most favorite fruits. Rosy pink and red-tinted apples sat in wooden bushel baskets along the road side for sale, while the aroma of freshly crushed and baked apples wafted up from a cozy looking log cabin not far away. Warm grey smoke drifted lazily up from the chimney inviting us inside.

Couples and families were in abundance, but they were scattered all over the orchard grounds. Many of them were just taking a leisurely stroll through the orchard, while others were picnicking and enjoying the brisk autumn day. I swayed on Van's arm, totally engrossed by the smells of freshly baked apples with cinnamon.

The hunter watched as the angel just about sparkled with evident joy. "This is somewhat unexpected. I assumed you would be happy, but I have half a mind to purchase an entire orchard for you if it makes you _this_ happy."

Something in Van's eyes told me he was dead serious. I stopped my admiring to turn and scowl at him. "Van, are you serious?!"

The hunter nodded to me, he wasn't one to joke. "You are positively glowing, how could I not want to see that expression on your face everyday?"

I started to deeply fear that he would do just that. The glint in the hunter's eyes made me feel like he was heavily considering the idea so I started to panic. "How...How about we pick up a couple of apples from here and I can plant the seeds? I can grow them in the green houses for a while along with Fran's medicinal herbs, that way we can keep a bit this adventure with us?"

My suggestion seemed to pull Van's attention away from purchasing an orchard to the trees I was admiring laden with fresh fruit.

"Let's go search for a couple of them!" I offered as I pulled gently on Van's arm.

The hunter conceded with only a little persuasion. "Hold on, I need to pick something up. How about you go over there and grab us a basket then so we can fill it?"

I eyed the empty baskets and wondered where Van was heading off to. "Where are you going?"

I leaned forward questioningly as he pressed a few coins into my hand. "To pick up the lunch I ordered us while you were getting dressed."

My mind went blank for a few seconds while I stood there trying to process what Van had said to me as the hunter turned toward the cabin. After a few heartbeats I followed him anyway, the teller for purchasing the baskets was right in front of the cabin.

I bought the baskets without any further problems, but I slowly started to feel like I was being watched again. Having bought what I needed, I put my back up against the cabin in order to carefully watched my surroundings. It did not take me long to figure out where the malicious feeling was coming from.

A unpleasantly familiar black haired gentleman was watching me with renewed interest. On his arm, was another, even less pleasant, surprise. The Duchess Blackwater. The same lady had once employed Van as a bodyguard, was strolling around the orchard looking displeased. Seeing me, the lady rudely pointed, and the man smiled like a Cheshire cat before turning her to walk slowly towards me.

"If it isn't the lovely, violinist! My dear you look so homely in those rags, so different from the last time I saw you! Oh wait my apologies, those are from _that_ costume shop. It is a costume from the locality. I only purchase mine from the finest shops in London! Custom tailored to my liking of course. "

I disliked the Duchess even further with each word she uttered. My dislike had probably started when I had seen her flirting shamelessly with Van, but one did not lightly tell a duchess to depart. Not unless you were a queen that is.

I smiled and started to play her game. "Ah, the Duchess Blackwater is it? I am honored you remember me and my performances. I did happen to perform at one of your tea parties, it was an absolutely fascinating experience. Your home was such well kept and all your guests were positively lovely. I must thank you again for attending my performances and inviting me to such a _delightful_ gathering." I bowed slightly to her and continued as I watched her eyebrows furl up in displeasure. "You have quite the companion there, I don't believe that I have ever had the pleasure of seeing him in London before?"

The lady looked at the man escorting her with sly eyes and she laughed very halfheartedly. "Ah ha, you are such a quaint thing! My temporary bodyguard has since taken up _other_ employment, so I had to special order this one from France! He comes from a very prodigious line of them in fact, far above my past ones. This one also takes _all_ orders."

I suppressed a twitch at the woman's loaded sentence. The thought of this woman trying to order Van to do elicit acts, on or off duty, was something I found both rather amusing and overly disgusting in the back of my mind. I guessed that Van had not taken kindly to her orders, probably his absolutely frigid reception of her affection was in part, the reason she was treating me so poorly now. _No wonder he was always moodier then usual while he was working for her..._ The duchess was being very petty, and because of that, it all the more amusing to me.

My thoughts were interrupted by her escort bowing to me with a radiant smile. The dark haired man proceeded to introduce himself with a flourish and a refined French accent. "My name is Gabriel, fair lady."

I felt my skin start to crawl. Something wasn't right, and the alarm bells in my head where going off like mad. Even my angel mark knew something was wrong. I felt the mark pulse in my chest as I extended my hand to him in a polite greeting.

Gabriel leaned over and gracefully took my hand in his before swiftly pressing a kiss onto the top of my glove. Another warning pulse from my mark caused all the hair on the back of my neck to stand up on end. I smiled back it him politely. "Gabriel, it is a pleasure to meet you. I am the _lady_ Azrael."

I wasn't sure why my angel name slipped out, but it had the effect I was looking for. Gabriel's eyes narrowed and in the brief flash, my earlier hesitations were completely confirmed. Gabriel stood completely still and continued holding onto my hand, looking kind of stunned as I glared at him. To my side I was beginning to be aware of a furious presence approaching.

I yanked my hand away from Gabriel and took a step towards Van with a smirk. "My escort is here now, it was a pleasant chat Duchass. Be sure not to tire yours out to much by _ordering_ him around."

I couldn't resist my parting quip and I hurried over to Van. "Va…"

"I can't leave you alone in public for two minutes!" The hunter raged at me and I swiftly took his arm. "I leave you alone…"

The look I gave the hunter made Van quell his temper for a second as he turned to scowl at the pair that was departing. The expression the hunter wore while watching them depart wavered somewhere between cold disdain and fierce protectiveness.

The forbidding feeling I was experiencing was leaving as Gabriel left my line of sight. All I wanted to do was to leave them alone and not see them again.

"That was unpleasant..." I glared after the pair before turning to look up at my fierce protector. "How did you ever accept a job offer from _her_?"

Van counted to ten slowly in his mind and decided to walk in the opposite direction that his ex-employer had just taken. He decided he would ask Sierra about it later, but right now his objective was to get her away from the Duchess and her escort before he did something rash. The angel in question was staring at him with eyes that almost could be mistaken as lethal. The hunter leaned down, his face inches from hers.

Van could clearly tell she was upset, but Sierra seemed more possessive than anything. "I kind of enjoy that look on your face right now, its rather adoring."

His lady blinked and Van watched her eyes start to soften as he continued speaking. Somehow, just talking to her did wonders to quell his anger.

"If you recall, I accepted that job because we needed the money. That _woman_ is one of the fussiest, most self indulgent, aristocracies that I have ever had the displeasure of working for. Believe me when I say I was glad it was a short term assignment."

It was hard to tell if Van was actually glad, but based on what I had just learned from the Duchess Blackwater herself, I can only imagine. I had rarely heard Van speak of his work, and it was even rarer for him to say something so emotionally opinionated.

"...Its probably a good thing she employs those bodyguards then."

Van scowled as he wondered just exactly had been said to put Sierra is such a sour mood in the middle of an apple orchard.

* * *

We picked a spot to rest closer to the river.

The cool breeze coming off the water had caused most people to leave the area. Van didn't seem to be bothered by the lack of people or the chill and I loved the feeling of the wind rustling through the orchard that the silence and serene nature was welcome. We took a few minutes to set up our picnic. Together we spread out the provided heavy wool blanket on the ground in order to protect us from the cold ground.

I sat down on the red and white checkered blanket gracefully with my legs tucked up neatly against me as Van decided to lounge on his side. The hunter looked rather comfortable that way, and I tried to think if I had ever seen him look quite so informal and relaxed before.

"Hmmm, is something the matter?"

I trailed my hand over one of my dress pleats, feeling the soft fabric in my hands now that my gloves were off. "Just thinking about you..."

This caught Van's interest and he looked up from examining the contents of the picnic basket. Quickly the hunter replied, his voice a little sharper then normal. "What do you mean?"

I blinked at him, slightly caught by surprise at his sudden change tone. "N-nothing! I was just thinking how you look like your relaxing and enjoying yourself more."

The hunter handed me a plate with a sandwich with a side of salad on it. "I see. Is that a problem?"

I took a bite of my sandwich and thought about it. My silence must have alarmed the hunter, because he stopped what he was doing, looking slight...apprehensive. "No, its not a problem per say. I would say the changes, are...hmm...some days the changes are welcome, other days its like I don't know who you are. Like you smile, but...you're not really there. Other times, you look genuinely happy...so I guess I just have a hard time reading you."

I looked down at my food not quite willing to see what kind of reaction my words had on him as he responded. "I see."

I didn't want to leave it like that, but I wasn't sure how to explain it properly. "...I...I don't mind it if your happy, but...but don't just act like your happy because of me! It feels wrong…"

I risked looking at Van who seemed to be struggling with what I was saying. The hunter's eyes were flashing back and forth in confusion and I flashed a small smile at him. "I know you just want me to be happy Van, but I can't do that when I am always worrying if your smile is real or not."

The hunter settled on an emotion, and he smiled at at me then. "This smile is only for you, I don't have any reason to show it to anyone else."

I pouted a bit, feeling like he was trying to hard. "I believe you, but it would just be nice if it didn't feel like it was so forced sometimes."

I reached over and poked his nose gently. "Like right now. I can pretty clearly tell that isn't totally true. Your trying to smile instead even though I am upsetting you, and it makes me really sad."

I took another bite of my sandwich as Van just sighed and closed his eyes. "I would do anything to make you happy. I don't like seeing you worry, and it makes me even more upset when I see you cry or scared. That incident yesterday before we boarded the train made me so very angry, I almost..."

I set my plate off to the side and was lost in my thoughts as soon as Van mentioned yesterday's incident. Van's mentioning of the incident yesterday afternoon at the train station, and just now both dealt with Gabriel. It wasn't a coincidence, but I had been a bit too preoccupied with Van and his temporary position as the Duchess's bodyguard to pay it much attention.

 _The chilling feeling the man gave me, his name on the tip of my tongue, his chilling blue eyes, the power to stop me and a long history of serving as a bodyguard..._

"Gabriel…." I muttered to myself and then I shot look around half expecting him to appear as I uttered his name. "...Gabriel…"

Van stopped talking and watched as Sierra seemed to drift off into her own world. The single minded intensity that spread across her face gave the impression that something he said had deeply bothered her. Then the hunter heard another man's name on her breath and he sat up with alarm. "Sierra…?"

Her blue-red eyes snapped to him. "Gabriel. He is an archangel."

Highly alarmed, Van reached out and set his hand on her leg. The hunter watched in relief as the red slowly disappeared from the angel's gaze. Still, he was pretty sure Sierra wasn't seeing him. The hunter leaned forward until he was inches away from kissing her and slowly it seemed like the angel was coming around.

"Sierra?" His low voice was more in warning and I blinked and saw Van's face right next to mine.

The first thing I noticed was the soft feeling of someones breath on my lips. Then my world was encompassed by a violet-blue. The next thing I noticed was Van's hand on my upper thigh. The physical contact brought me out of my revere more than anything else.

"Van?"

The hunter looked relieved that I was answering him. "Are you alright? You just drift off there for a few minutes."

I leaned forward and pressed my lips to his readily. "Yes, I think I am alright now."

Internally, I was reeling. The Omibus as well as the archangels Azrael, Gabriel, Raphael, and the last known Michael had all congregated in London. This had to be a sign. A sign that I was getting a bad feeling about. I would need to talk to Raphael when I returned to London, but the other three archangels probably were not fair behind.

The rest of the picnic went really well.

I enjoyed all the foods that Van had picked out from the little log cabin. This meal had made apples the main ingredient. Fresh hot mulled apple cider, apple cinnamon donuts, tiny sandwiches with turkey and apple slices, fresh biscuits with jam and clotted cream, and a spinach and blue cheese salad completed the meal.

"That was amazing…" I flopped down next to my hunter with a satisfied sigh. Van looked down at me as I stared up at him with a content smile.

"Hmm? What did you think?" The hunter asked as he started to pack up the remains of our meal and I caught him eyeing the bushel baskets I had purchased earlier.

"I was thinking we should pick some of the apples around here before we go."

I watched a couple of puffy clouds pass by as I listened to Van's voice rumble. "Mmm…That's a good idea."

I was reluctant to move but as his presence disappeared from my side I got up to follow him anyway.

Van was just moving the basket off of the blanket, but he was caught by surprise as Sierra wrapped her arms around his chest and gave it a light squeeze. "Thank you, Van. I really enjoyed this."

The way the angel made her statement, alarmed the hunter. It felt to him like she was saying goodbye. Van quickly turned around and put his arms around her. "I enjoyed this as well. I hope we can continue to do these little outings more often now."

Sierra pulled her head out from under the security of his embrace with excitement. "I do too!"

Van didn't really want to let go, but eventually he knew he needed to. Slowly the hunter relinquished his hold on the angel. The wind picked up again and the hunter heard a sudden snap above them. Van swiftly jerked his head and hand up to stave off the incoming threat. As a result he grabbed the apple that was about to fall on them.

Sierra looked up in surprise and then started grinning up at him. "I think that's a sign we should get to work."

Van looked at the apple closely and then slowly nodded. "I agree."

The hunter didn't need a second glance to confirm that the apple had been cut . The hunter scowled as he looked around, but as Sierra pulled on his arm and Van relented. He would just need to keep a sharp eye out from now on.

* * *

Van carried both full bushel baskets back to the front of the orchard with ease, while I sullenly carried an mostly empty picnic basket. I kept protesting but the stoic faced soldier would hear none of my concerns. He walked a few paces in front of me while I followed along grudgingly. I was trailing along a few paces behind and I noticed it felt like Van had gone more silent then normal. I wondered if what I had said before had upset him that much...

We walked back to the cabin and I silently turned to go return the picnic basket. The change in direction of my footsteps must have tipped Van off because he turned around to me and asked softly. "Wait."

I paused and looked turned back to him uncertain to why his voice was so soft. "What is it Van?"

The hunter shook his head with a soft smile. "Come with me." It took him a second but a gentle'please' was added a second later.

I just looked at him questioningly and the hunter sighed. "I don't want to let you out of my sight. That man might still be around and I don't want him coming near you again."

I felt something in my chest swell and my heart beat a little harder. "...Van are you still upset about that?"

The hunter gave me a slight sigh"Tch. Why wouldn't I be? That's twice he has approached you when I have had my back turned. I am not so much of a fool to let it happen a third time."

I stepped up next to Van and he seemed to look relieved that I didn't protest his request.

"...I don't know what I would do if I lost you." The hunter expressed his concern clearly in a low pained voice and I bowed my head in submission. I felt the weight of his words deeply.

"I am sorry..."

The hunter gave me a slight smile. It was genuine, like he was actively taking what I had discussed back in the orchard to heart. "Come on then."

Van and I dropped off the apples onto a cart and gave the teller the location of our hotel and room number. Then we both headed over to return the picnic basket. I thought we were done then, but Van started lead me over to the other side of the yard with a air of purpose. I looked around curiously and caught a glance of a sign that indicated we were on a road heading towards a pumpkin patch.

I halted briefly to read the sign and then looked at Van with concern.

The hunter looked at the sign and then back at me with a raised eyebrow. "Are you not interested…?" He seemed to be looking for an answer.

Truthfully I was ecstatic, but I worried Van was treating this less like a holiday and more like a mission. A mission where my happiness was the sole outcome. I folded my arms and looked up at him with a slight frown. "You know I am, but what about you Van?"

The hunter pinched the bridge of his nose. "I am happy if you are happy, so that goes without saying."

I reached over and pulled his hand away from his face. "Van...you're doing it again!" I started to fret as I held his hand and stared up at him in earnest.

His dark blue-violet eyes stared down at me and he gave me a soft genuine smile. "Would you humor me on this and just answer the question?"

I pursed my lips and took a second to answer. "...I want to go..."

Van stated to grin and he pulled on my hand. My feet naturally turned to follow him as he took another step forward. "I thought so."

* * *

We started to hear the sounds of families long before we saw them.

The orchard trees gave way to an expansive field. Many families stood scattered throughout the field as kids ran up and down the soil tracks looking for their perfect prize.

Orange and white pumpkins dotted the landscape while their expansive leafy green foliage ran rampant across the fields. Van turned to me with an explanation. "The price of the picnic also includes free pumpkins, however I figured we would to pick our own."

"Oh wow! This is so amazing!" I felt excited despite myself and I found myself looking around with glee.

Van was still thinking about what Sierra had told him earlier. _Did his planing bother her? Or was it something else?_ The hunter was fumbling this outing at every turn, despite his best efforts. The hunter was greatly perturbed by it, but as he watched Sierra face change from an anxious look of concern to genuine joy once more, he really couldn't regret his actions.

* * *

It took me a while to pick out a pumpkin.

I was quite picky about it. Once I had found mine I knelt down and took out my boot knife in order to cut through the vine. Van hovered near by looking interested in the pumpkin I had chosen. "You still carry that knife?"

I looked down at the knife. It had killed Van's best friend and tormentor not all that long ago, but at the same time, it also had saved many lives as well. I shrugged before sheathing it back in the top of my boot. Then I grabbing my pumpkin and stood up. The stem managed to prick my through my glove and I winced, caught off guard by the prickly spiky sensation.

"Here let me." Van reached out to grab my burden and I hugged it closely to me with narrow possessive eyes.

"You still need to get yours."

Van paused with his hand halfway outstretched. "Wha…?"

I hugged my pumpkin closer and glared at him territoriality. "You, Van Helsing! You need to pick one out as well! It's only fair!" I hugged my large orange pumpkin to me, overly possessive and told the hunter off.

Van was taken back by how possessive Sierra had become. The hunter looked at the pumpkins laying around on the ground next to the one Sierra had just picked at a loss at which one to choose. He had been so engrossed in watching and protecting Sierra that he had half expected her to pick out a second one as well. Certainly, she had taken enough time and was picky enough to have picked two...but the way she growled at him while coveting her burden, melted the hunter's heart.

Van chuckled and righted to make a decision."Haha, I suppose you are right. Which one should I choose?"

I waited patiently for him to make a decision, and the hunter seemed make his choice a few minutes later. Van walked a few paces off and knelt down next to a lefty green patch.

I couldn't see what he was doing, or which one he had selected, but a few seconds later he turned around with a little white pumpkin the size of my hand. In retrospect, the one I had in my arms was wider around around then I was and about half the size of my torso. I shifted it comfortably in my arms as the hunter grinned at me.

"Alright, will this one work."

I smiled at him and just shook my head, still keeping a firm hold on my prize. "No, you can't have mine just because you picked a small one."

Van gave up on fighting the angel when she looked so determined to carry her burden, and decided to wait until Sierra asked for his help. Together we started the long walk back to the hotel room.

* * *

In the end I did end up giving in and asking Van for help.

The hunter readily offered his assistance as soon as I started flagging. It wasn't because I couldn't handle it or that the pumpkin grew to heavily, it was solely because Van had bribed me with a caramel apple. I was finding it rather difficult to both eat the sticky sweet and hold onto the pumpkin. The pumpkin was just too large to carry comfortably in one hand. I knew this was Van's ploy, but I was unable to resist trying the new food.

Happy with my trade, I started to eat my treat...or rather I licked the soft caramel off and then bit into the fruit. The apple was much more sour than I was used to, and I made a wary face.

"Why is it so sour?!" I wrinkled my nose up at him and Van leaned over and took a hefty bite out of my apple.

"Heyy!" I protested as he chewed.

"Hmmm...your right. That is pretty sour." He looked at me expectantly. "That is why they dip it in liquid milk and sugar."

I stuck my tongue out at him. Internally I thought he made sense, but after a couple of cooking experiments with Van I was praying he did not want to try to replicate it by taste alone.

"Do you not like it?" The worry in his blue-violet eyes was concerning, but I took another bite of the apple, more prepared for the sour bite.

"Mmmm...I like it, I just was caught a little off guard by it." I was more careful not to just lick the caramel off the apple, and instead used the sweet and sour to balance. It kind of reminded me of my last cooking adventure with Van when he mistook the sugar for salt and caramelized the bacon we had been cooking.

That had only been a few weeks ago now, and as of right now, that bacon was the only thing Van had made for me that had been remotely editable. One night he had said he would make dinner for everyone while Impey was away, but I caught him flaying an octopus and marinating the tentacles in honey and peanut butter.

I had been required to pull drastic measures to get Saint to help me out before Van had murdered us with his cooking. Together Saint and I had safely saved the rest of the household from certain disaster. It was around that time I was fairly sure Van had developed an immunity to most poisons while in Twilight, as well as a godly constitution level.

The moody hunter had calmly ate his creations, and even informed us on no uncertain terms, that the honey-peanut butter octopus tentacles tasted good.

I had turned a distinct shade of green watching Van even consume his concoctions, and as a result of that incident I had not let him into the kitchen by himself since then...

* * *

We got back to the hotel room just as the sun was beginning to set.

Our room had a crisp apple scent to it thanks to the double basket that had been delivered earlier.

"Do what do you want to do now?" Van asked as he pulled out the list of events as he sat down on the sofa.

"I am worried that your taking this way too seriously Van. This is your first vacation since getting your new job! Your working from dawn until dusk every day of the week. So if your going to ask me what I think we should do for the remainder of the night is just rest."

I leaned over the edge of the sofa as I expressed my concerns and looked down at the listings that Van was holding. The hunter's golden locks tickled my nose as he moved in to whisper to me. The soldier's rough voice sent shivers down my spine. "Your all I need. Simply spending time with you is relaxing enough. I enjoy spending time with you...besides I feel like I have been neglecting you."

Van's voice changed as he furthered his comment. "Should we have a short discussion about you falling asleep in the foyer?"

I sensed I was about to be the center of attention. I slid my arms around his neck and whispered into his ear in earnest. "I miss you! Just, some days you work so late...thats why I worry about you!"

The soldier shifted and looked up to meet Sierra's eyes. His attention caught her gaze and held it. "I am honored that you wish to stay up and see me my dear, but if I continue to find your sweet form laying in the foyer unconscious I might not be able to help myself. I might just start to crawl into bed with you."

I blushed and snagged the event log from him and started to scan it over. Something about a night circus caught my interests.

"Uhhh…"

"Are you opposed to the idea?" The hunter seemed genuinely interested in having his question answered.

I bit my lip hesitantly. "...No."

Van caught on to my hesitation. "I don't mean to pressure you into doing something you don't want to do. When you are ready, just tell me." He reached up and brushed my face softly.

I sighed feeling stressed. "It's not that I don't want to! I just…."

My face went bright red and I failed to finish my sentence.

The hunter managed to read the angel's lips with amusement. "Your concerned that the others would not find it respectable?"

I shook my head feeling like I was going to start to cry. I could feel the tiny pinpricks of the rebellious tears in the corners of my eyes. Hearing Van say it made it sound really silly."...I...I don't want...to...tarnish your….honor…"

The hunter rested his head on his hand and gave me a exasperated look. "..."

I looked at the event log in my hands wishing I could just melt away. Instead I proceed in a quiet voice that steadily grow a bit stronger with passion. "...You are a bodyguard for nobility Van...appearances matter! I...I don't want your reputation to suffer because of me!"

My hands shook as I said this. I didn't want it to be true, but the more I voiced the the truer it felt. I wanted to support him, and if this was the path he chose to walk, I would support him in any way I could. Any mistake he made would reflect on his employers, and the thought of hurting him was more than I could bare.

Van on the other hand realized he had made another mistake as he sensed that Sierra was about ready to cry. He was beginning to truly felt like he desperately needed additional training on how to handle women.

What started out as a conversation to attempt to put a halt to finding Sierra asleep in the foyer, had somehow turned into a discussion about _his_ honor. As if _he_ cared about such things, but it just went to show that the angel had a different pedigree then him. The hunter growled as he stood up. He berated himself for not thinking of this sooner. The hunter really did not care about his reputation, but Sierra's was a completely different matter. How he had neglected hers for so long, was a disservice to the angel in the most severe way.

Van moved to comfort Sierra. The hunters low voice worked to try to reassure her."I do not care about what others might think, I only care about you."

I felt the tears start to fall. "But Van! I want to!" Conflicting emotions rolled in me. Angel instincts and fundamental needs, fought with knowledge and upbringing about Britain's upper nobility. "But I don't want to hurt you!"

Strong arms wrapped around me tenderly and I started to cry into Van's chest. "As I said before dearest, I only care about you. Besides what I do outside of work hours is none of their business."

Van tenderly stroked my hair as I cried into him. "But Van! I don't want to cause you any trouble!"

The exchange between me and the Duchess must have concerned me more then I thought, but Van slid a hand under my chin and forced my face up to his and growled in a low voice. "I told you, I only care about you."

Van softly brought his lips up to brush against Sierra's. The salty tang on her tears clung to her skin and lips and the hunter slowly kissed each one away. The tears seemed to stop even as Sierra clung to him.

The sound of explosions on the streets below them set them both on edge.

* * *

Author's note:

Hello again! I am happy to release chapter 4 for your reading pleasure! I hope you enjoyed it! I just love the little moments I get to throw into this!

So guilty, I need to give some credit here: The octopus and peanut-butter with honey is an idea I picked up from Shokugeki no Sōma. Not really a fan of the anime, but I feel like is an appropriate concoction Van would create.

I also love the instant that Van consider's purchasing an entire apple orchard for Sierra. Which is all the more amusing to me, because I gave her that love of apples because "An apple a day keeps the doctor away, but if the doctor is cute screw the fruit." ...Since she kept getting hurt in "Silver Lady" and Fran's the doctor. (Lol...)

You also get introduced to the newest archangel: Gabriel.

I won't go into too many details here but because I find it amusing: Gabriel is a moon-based angel and his blessing would be fertility.

Looks like Gabriel is currently working for the Duchess Blackwater, which, if you remember, Van had short term employment with the Duchess during chapters...22 to about 26. Anyway, keep that pairing in mind for later releases for they are plot relevant. _

Thank you for reading! If you loved it I would love to know! I hope you return for the next chapter...Night Circus!


	5. Chapter 5: Night Circus

Chapter 5: Night Circus

The sounds of explosions from outside caught our attention and I pulled away from the hunter with a startled jump. Another explosion thundered out over the city, and I felt myself start to shake in fear. Van was already moving towards the balcony in order to assess the threat.

"Thunder?" I asked Van with a unsteady voice as the hunter's eyes narrowed while he assessed the situation.

There was no screaming and no panic on the streets below that Van could tell. The explosions didn't even sound that serious. A small whistle and a spark of light in the sky caught the hunter's attention and Van dropped his guard a bit. The hand that he had thrown out in order to block any incoming shards of glass dropped back to his side in relief.

"Fireworks." Van turned back to the angel and noticed she had started to shake in fear as the third thunderous boom echoed off the buildings around them.

The angel threw her hands over her ears and dropped to her knees as the third firework exploded high in the sky. Van was already moving back towards Sierra as her eyes started to flash dangerously to red.

"I...I don't like this..." The angel sobbed as a couple of doors in the hallway clicked open. The guests in the suites around them started to gather in the hallway in bunches. Their muffled voices and opening of closing of doors filled the hallway as Van tried to console the angel who had latched onto him for dear life.

Loud thundering noises were always very difficult for Sierra, but Van held her tightly in his arms as her inhuman strength gripped onto him in raw terror. The hunter disregarded the danger he was in without another thought. Blood red eyes were accompanied by terrified sobbing that racked Sierra's slender frame. The hunter gritted his teeth helplessly. Van hated that he couldn't take away the pain from her past, that he couldn't stop the noises, and that he couldn't get rid of the hidden strength that tormented her whenever the loud noises occurred.

Still, the hunter was more then willing to offer what comfort he could. It was almost unbearable to Van to watch Sierra suffer given all she had risked to save him, so if that meant a couple of bruises, the hunter gladly welcomed them. The bruises were payment for the pain he had consciously inflicted on her, and it was much more preferable to him to hold her securely in his arms, rather than trying to pry the angel out of the nearby cupboards...or anywhere else she thought to hide in order to escape her nightmares.

Regardless, the angel's willingness to seek comfort in his arms while under the influence of Hidden Strength, spoke volumes more than any words ever could about her faith and comfort in him.

Slowly, the loud noises of the fireworks drifted off, but the noise of the crowds outside in the hallway did not stop. Rather the fireworks seemed to increase the noise and draw a crowd. Once Sierra had settled down in his arms, the angel reduced to just shaking, muted, sobs, Van was able to pay a bit more attention the voices in the hallway.

"Dad! Dad! Those were fireworks! Can we go again tonight?"

 _Go where?_ Van wanted to ask. _What did those fireworks mean?_

"Yes, yes, settle down. We will be departing shorting. We are just waiting for your mother to get ready."

"But Dad! The line will be huge if we wait for mom!"

The father's voice turned gruffer and admonishing. "The circus isn't going anywhere soon, you'll just have to wait your turn."

"But Dad! _"_

The brief conversation drifted down the hall, out of Van's hearing range, but the brief conversation had given him enough information to understand what was going on. The fireworks heralded the opening of main attraction to the Harvest Festival: the Night Circus. The hunter scowled as he rubbed Sierra's back in comfort.

"Thk. Figures..."

* * *

It took me a while to recover from my episode, but eventually I was able to calm down enough to realize I was curled up safely in Van's embrace. The hunter had knelt down next to me and I had, unconsciously, crawled into his arms in search of comfort and security. As I came around I realized just how hard I had been holding him.

"...I am sorry…" I whispered as I started to gradually release my hold on Van, feeling utterly upset with myself.

This happened whenever it stormed outside. It had only happened a couple of times in the past few months, but each time had resulted in Van pulling me out of some kind of confined space after he had got home late at night. I always remembered the heartbreaking expression he gave me as he tried to coerce me into coming out from my hiding spot time and time again...

It took only a few incidents for us to realize that my infection on hidden strength was not disappearing with time, in fact it only seemed to be worsening. I assumed that the apprehensive soldier must have reluctantly asked the others to keep an eye on me whenever it stormed outside just in case he was away for work.

I assumed this because Saint and Impey end up circling me if it so much as hinted at it storming outside. Saint would just brush my concerns and inquiries off as wanting to hear me rehearse on whatever new instrument he had decided to purchase. Impey was nowhere near as smooth as the count at hiding his intentions. The large redhead would just follow me around the house asking about what he should try next and bounce recipe ideas off me until I snapped.

This was all an unfortunate side effect of learning that my terror had grown even worse after _that_ night. Whenever it stormed and Van was away was when I had my worst attacks. When all of my past converged on me and my one true fear was at its peak, was when it caused the most trouble for the entire household. This had affected Finis the most. The pint-sized blond had quickly learned to make himself scarce during any ill weather because I had nearly murdered him in a blind rage.

I wasn't sure what had happened after that, but I had woke up in my bed with Van and Saint watching over me some time later with overly concerned expressions. These continuing episodes with hidden strength were something we were all were still working on finding a solution to, but as time drifted along, each episode without Van there to calm me, only grew worse.

Worse yet, to me, was Van having to even experience and witness my mental relapses. The hunter was nothing but supportive during these times, but I had a deep seated belief that he held himself responsible. I had even caught Van asking Finis about how to remove it, but so far nothing had been successful, and the breakdowns continued to happen whenever a storm rolled in. I wished desperately that I could do something about it, but the hunter would just give me a soft and encouraging smile while he tried reassure me that everything was alright.

Slowly, I was able to release my death grip on Van and I looked up through tear filled eyes as the terror ebbed towards the back of my mind.

The hunter leaned over and kissed the top of my hair. "It's alright, I am here."

The room started to come back into focus as Van held me.

"Van?" I sniffed and went to wipe my tears away. "I am sorry…I don't mean to be such a burden..."

"You are not a burden." The hunter murmured with force. "Sierra, the only reason I am here is because _you_ decided to come after me. _You_ risked everything to rescue me from hidden strength when I had every intention of killing you. I won't leave you to the same fate."

I finished drying my tears and I looked up into soft but very determined blue-violet eyes.

"I promise, I will find a way to help you through this."

I started to untangle myself from Van's embrace, still recovering from my shock. I hiccuped as I crawled out of his lap.

"I...I believe you." I gave him a shaky smile while my mind repeated silently over and over.

 _Its ok. Van is alright. He is right here. He is safe. There is nothing to fear._

The hunter narrowed his eyes and something clicked within him. "You tell me not to smile unless I am happy, that it looks too forced, yet here you are smiling like it hurts to breathe."

My mind was still on repeat as I answered him. "...But Van, I _am_ happy you care..."

Van got up off the floor and offered me a hand up. "Of course I care. I think I am also beginning to see your point from earlier. The one about not smiling for the sake of making the other feel better."

I shuttered once more and accepted Van's assistance. The hunter easily helped me to my feet.

"No more of these false smiles." Van's hand gently tapped my nose as he admonished me.

I squeaked in surprise as his touch caught me off guard. "I - I agree! I can't ask you to do something without doing it myself!"

I covered my nose as Van gave me a sly grin. "Sierra, I just want you to be happy. I would do anything in the world to assure that, and I think I am starting to understand that it is hard to be happy when your worrying about me. I am sorry."

I removed my hands away from protecting my face and protested. "I just want you to be happy too, Van Helsing! That's why I want to do everything I can to support you!...But it only seems like I make everything worse…"

I looked down at the ground and felt Van's hand on my head. "Sierra, the only reason I am alive is because you are so persistent at getting into trouble. I want to see you smile more, you deserve happiness."

I stepped forward into him and caught the hunter a little off guard with the passion in my words. " _We_. We both deserve happiness Van."

"Hmm." The hunter thought about it for a second and then agreed. "You are right. We both deserve happiness, and I am resolved to make you the happiest woman on earth."

I sighed as my internal iterations seemed to quiet during our conversation. Van's devotion truly touched me, but it seemed like he was still missing my point.

"Life isn't just about happiness. I think it's about the journey and the steps we take to get there. Van, I want to walk next to you and share this journey together, so we both can be happy _together_. That won't work if you keep putting me first! Really Van Helsing, when was the last time you had a proper rest?"

The hunter's hand drifted from the top of my head down to my cheek. "You are doing the same thing by only putting me first. You have been confined to that mansion since you saved me, when was the last time you left London Proper?"

I couldn't deny the truth in Van's words. I had been staying sequestered within the confines of the mansion and its grounds, mostly because everyone knew where to find me and I felt safe there knowing Van would be home soon.

Van continued, his voice softened as the angel's expression wavered. "I want to enjoy more of these moments with you and I was hoping this would become a more regular occurrence."

I looked up at Van then. "...I would like that a lot."

Van felt his heart surge with emotions and he didn't want to contain them any longer. The hunter pulled his angel close and lifted her up off the ground with the strength of his embrace. Deep blue eyes flecked with silver started down at him with an emotion that Van could only define as pure love. A love as deep and as endless as the seas themselves.

"I love you, Sierra." Van's violent-blue eyes gazed up at me lovingly.

As I went to reply, a sparkle of light near Van's collar and caught my interest. I looked further down to see the cause of the sparkle. From the vantage point Van was holding me at, above him, I could clearly see down the hunters's loosely cut pirate shirt. The light glittered off a heavier silver chain that was intertwined with a much thinner golden one. I reached my hand down on instinct and lifted them up gently with a sharp intake of breath.

"Van, what are these?!"

The hunter felt Sierra lifted the chains up around his neck inquisitively. This was the reason the hunter had taken a bit longer to locate her in the crowd earlier today. He had been busy purchasing the chains from the vendor next to the candied apple seller.

Secured on the heavy silver chain was the feather Sierra and given him earlier that morning. On the much slimmer gold chain was a tiny metal feather in gold.

"Hmmm….What do you think?" The hunter looked up at me with doubt filled eyes.

I struggled to contain my surprise and I let the chains fall back down. I was probably the only person to have ever seen Van look quite so uncertain.

"Van Helsing!" I squealed in delight and wrapped my arms around his neck in a fierce hug. "They are amazing!"

Van staggered under the fierceness of Sierra's hug and he went to reply, but the soldier suddenly found himself using his lips for an entirely different purpose.

I watched Van's eyes narrow in possession as I kissed him. My kiss was sweet and salty from my tears, but it didn't matter to either of us. When I let him go we were both breathless.

"...Eh? I didn't expect you to like them that much." I caught the faint glow of color on his cheeks.

It was so unlike him to be even remotely flustered that I started to grin.

"Why wouldn't I? Its like you have a part of me close your heart!" My hand moved to where I could feel my feather under the thin fabric of his shirt. "I can't tell you how much this means to me that you treasure something so much! ...Hmmm…"

Van set me back down on the floor as the hint of color of his cheeks disappeared. "What is it?"

I pursed my lips. "It's nothing, don't worry about it." I beamed up and him and quickly kissed his cheek my terror but a thing of the past.

"I will treasure it always." Van folded his hand over mine. "So my dear, would you prefer for me to stay indoors and rest for the remainder of the night or would you like to go visit this festival's main attraction?"

Van's expression told me he was seriously asking me a question. The booming noises still had my adrenaline pumping, and as much as I didn't want to go outside when it was storming, the sounds seemed to have stopped. The thought about staying indoors was beginning to be less appealing and I looked at Van intensely. The hunter still looked tired to me, but I knew he wouldn't ever admit it. I sighed softly and tried to figure out which one we should do for the remainder of the night.

Van waited patiently while Sierra seemed to struggle with making a decision. Her blue eyes searched his face and Van coolly schooled his emotions back into place. He would be fine with either decision, but the hunter desperately wanted Sierra to make a decision based on her own desires.

In the end my curiosity got the better of me. Fueled by a restless energy I nodded to Van intensely. "Let's go explore the Night Circus."

The soldier nodded to me before letting go of my hand in order to go fetch our jackets. "Whatever you desire my dear."

* * *

The way to the circus was dark and lit only by small orbs at seemingly random intervals. The large area necessary to put up the tents boarded a shadowy forest and a large rolling plain. The branches on the trees stretched towards the sky like ominous reaching fingers. The bereft trees creaked and groaned as a chilling wind picked up and swept into the forest from the field laden with tents.

The circus itself was not anything like was I had expected. I had thought of a cheerful place much like the boardwalk where I had first tried fairy floss, but the tents were all dark black or pure white. This circus's main colors appeared to be black and white. I could make out other, muted colors in accents, but with lighting being sparse it was difficult to tell even with my night vision.

Still, it held all the warmth and welcome of a proper circus. Callers battered back and forth good naturally. Their jokes helped to negate the boredom of waiting to enter the attractions, but the sight of a ever growing crowd was suddenly making me apprehensive again.

I felt a warm breath on my neck before I heard Van whisper in my ear. "If your uncomfortable we can leave."

I shook my head and I could feel my long hair flicker to each side by the motion of my gesture as I replied. "We came all this way. Sure, it's not quite what I expected, but I want to give it a try. You're here with me, so I don't have anything to fear right?"

"Right."

I felt Van press his hot lips to my earlobe and all the hair on the back of my neck stood up at the suddenly foreign sensation. My gaze was quickly diverted from watching the crowd to looking at Van. The hunter was grinning at me knowingly as we stepped up to the window to pay.

"That's not even nice, Van Helsing." I muttered as I touched my ear, feeling the heat rise in my cheeks as I recalled the sensation.

Van accepted our tickets and we turned to enter the park. The hunter's gaze was almost exclusively on me as we progressed in line. "I'll have to remember this for next time." The soldier flat out remarked as I rubbed my ear.

"What?! No!" I squeaked as we entered the gates. I was so preoccupied with Van's comment that I did not notice the crowd around us thinned to make way for us.

The hunter gladly handed the tickets to a cheerful Ticketmaster dressed in all back. The Ticketmaster clipped the tickets and handed them back with a cheerful smile. "Thank you for your patronage! Please enjoy your time with us!"

Van nodded as he guided his flustered angel in through the circus gates.

* * *

All around us was a sparsely lit circus.

Glass orbs softly illuminated intersections and street performances. The occasional flickering of yellow and red flames sometimes caught the corner of my eyes and I would turn to stare. Once inside, the circus was less crowded and people wandered into the many tents almost on a whim. The larger tents had posted event times that promised a long night if we were not careful, while smaller tents seemed to accept walk ins readily.

Van led me around. The hunter observantly picking up on any slight detail that caught my eye. One of the first stops we made was to look at the central attraction of the circus.

A large white flame bonfire stood in the central plaza and warmed circus personal and patrons alike. We stood off to the side of the central plaza admiring the scene. I turned and commented on my findings in slight awe. "This is definitely not what I expected. It's almost like magic!"

Van nodded in agreement. "There is a certain persona that this place has…" His low voice drifted off into the night and I looked around to see what he was focusing on. It seemed to be two children standing at the side of the bonfire not that far off. They each held steaming cups and a pair of pink mice on a stick. As I watched one of them bit into the mouse they were holding and began to eat it.

"That is a very peculiar looking snack." I commented as the mouse disappeared one bite at a time. "I wonder what they are made of."

I felt Van start to move. "There is a food vendor over there. Their sign says 'Cherry Squeeks'."

My mind was still overly confused by the sign as Van headed towards the vendor.

A short time later I was holding a cherry squeek in my hands and admiring the sugar work in much greater detail. Artfully crafted the small mice almost seemed too real to eat.

"Are you going to eat that?" Van asked as I stared.

"I am just admiring the details on this design. I don't think I have ever seen such finely detailed sugar work."

Van was silent for a moment and I felt someone bump into me on the side. Hard.

"Oh no!" I was thrust into Van as someone thundered past me. I watched as my hand slipped and the cherry squeek fell from my hand.

The hunter behind me simultaneously braced me, grabbed the snack before it could hit the ground, and growled at the passerby. "Hey! Watch where your going!"

The patron paid us no mind as he followed the crowd in the opposite direction of where we were heading.

"Well, that wasn't very nice of him…" A lovely women dressed in a deep plum colored Victorian style dress sighed from under her black veil. "I do apologize for my brother's actions, he can be so narrow minded at times. Are you alright?"

I snatched a quick look at Van, who was looking rather perturbed.

"We are fine." The hunter growled and I wasn't sure what his hostility was for.

I steadied myself and nodded to her. "It's alright, I think I am ok."

Van kept his hand around my waist as he handed me back my treat.

I took a bite out of it and tasted a very faint but sweet and pleasant taste of cherries. However, the taste brought back some rather bitter memories and I wrinkled my brow as they drifted to the front of my mind.

The woman clasp her hands together like a sudden thought struck her. "Tell you what, to make up from my brother's rudeness, why don't you both come in to my tent just over there? I'll do a reading for you, free of charge." She gestured to a dark tent entrance that I would have missed had she not pointed it out. I checked the sign posted in front of it.

"So, you are a fortune teller then?" The sign told me she did not open until midnight and that was still a few hours off.

The woman smiled at us sweetly. "That I am. Are you by chance new to the circus?"

I felt Van's embrace tighten and I passed him the cherry squeek. The hunter glared at it as he took a bite. I ignored my hunter's cold reaction to the interloper.

"We are, if you work here then…" I looked around at the tents. "Which performances would you recommend?"

She seemed to take a second to think about it. "The cloud room and the enchanted garden are both favorites of mine. You can explore both of them without waiting in line. That should take you a while, I open at midnight so feel free to stop in after that." She waved to her brother from across the bonfire. "Excuse me, I need to be going now. I look forward to your visit later tonight."

The woman left us with a smile and I rested my hand on Van's. "Is something the matter?"

Van finished chewing on the last of the cherry squeek. "..."

I stared up at him expectantly, almost demanding an answer.

"It's nothing. Why didn't you like the squeek?"

I wrinkled my nose at him. "Not overly fond of cherries anymore I suppose…."

Van must have sensed my apprehension. "It's because of _before_ isn't it?" The hunter's eyes grew sad and I pulled away from him.

Still holding the hunter's hand I dragged him down towards the line of tents, determined to have a better time now then letting either of us dwell on old memories.

* * *

We wound up visiting on a few tents.

Inside each black and white striped tent was a tiny world of its own. The first one I had pulled us into on a whim was called The Soap Bubble room. Soap bubbles of every kind of shape and size drifted around the room in a whirl of colors. They merged lazily with each other and drifted toward the ceiling in a memorizing dance. I poked one and it simply bounced along the ground as it ate up a smaller bubble in its path.

Van just stood in the middle of the room as I decided to chase the bubbles around the tent with a grin. I As I chased them around I learned that when the bubbles reached the top of the tent, the bigger bubbles exploded in a shower of smaller ones and they drifted back down in a rainbow of colors.

"This is amazing!" I exclaimed as I sat down on one of the bigger ones bubbles. The bubble just molded under me to serve as a chair. "Van you should really try this!" I picked another bubble nearest to me and bounced it towards him. Van caught it and bounced it back. I got up and kicked it back to him.

The hunter let the bubble sail past him and it ate up a bunch of the smaller ones behind him before it slowly started to drift upwards. I suck my tongue out at Van. "Alright then if your not interested, let's go see what the other tents hold then?"

"If you want to stay…"

I threw another bubble at him and Van moodily deflected it away from him. I picked up that something was bothering him. "What is it Van Helsing?"

The hunter snorted and looked around. "Thk. I just feel like we are being watched."

I looked around, but I didn't see or feel anything strange or out of place. Still, I brushed off my dress and walked towards him. "Let's see if we can check out the other tents then and see if we can lose them." I didn't doubt Van's instincts for a minute, but I wasn't sure how to resolve his unease either so this was one of the only solutions I could come up with.

Van held out his arm for me and we exited the bubble tent.

On our way to the next tent I heard crying. "Do you…?"

Van was already heading towards the sound of the cries. A few tents over we found a young boy crying. I guessed he was little more then four or five years old. With Van standing a few paced behind me, I knelt down cooing. "Hey there, its going to be ok. What's the matter?"

Watery deep blue eyes looked back at me as he gasp out. "I..I lost my sister and I can...can...can't...find ...mother or ...father...either…"

Really this whole area was creepy and forlorn. It looked like it was the back of the tents that only performers used. "It's ok, we can help you look for them!." Van sighed as I promised the boy that we would help him find his parents. I held out my arms to pick him up and the boy scrambled into them with watery eyes. As I lifted him up I asked. "Do you know where did you last seen them?"

The little boy wrapped his arms around my neck as I turned to Van. The hunter already seemed to be scanning the area for any signs of the kid's missing parents. Loud banging sounds were beginning to reach my ears and I flinched away from the sound. "Are those...?"

Van positioned himself in front of me protectively. "Gunshots, yes."

I felt a sudden tug on my hair and I was caught of guard by the yell in my ear. "Daddy!"

I wavered slightly to the side as my head was yanked to one direction as Van turned back to me. "I can go check it out while you stay here."

Another, much heart-ery tug on my hair had Van reaching over to take the boy from me.

"Stop that." He told the boy off absently as he lifted him out of my arms.

The boy went over readily to Van and promptly grabbed the hunter's pirate hat and put it on his own head. Then the boy wrapped his arms around the hunter's neck without a second thought or hesitation. I raised an eyebrow to Van and the soldier just raised his eyebrows back to me.

"Something the matter?"

I blushed and looked away from him. "Nope…"

I took a hurried step towards the gunshots. My ears told me that they were going off at set intervals.

Not long afterwards we found a crowd gathered at the edge of the tents in an open field. There was bright, clear, light from orbs strung up to illuminate the staging area. Five gunshots rang out, followed by an audible shattering of glass. The sound of a low and exasperated voice coming from behind me of me confirmed what I could not see.

"It's a shooting competition. They are throwing disks and bottles for the competitors to shot as targets."

I watched as the boy yanked on Van's hair in a similar fashion, but the hunter barely paid him any mind as he assessed the crowd. "...I don't see anyone that looks like they could be his parent."

I began to feel like we were being watched as all the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. "...Van…"

I heard the low rumble in his chest. "I know, they are over there."

From the a short distance off I could clearly make out Gabriel and his charge, the Duchess Blackwater, sitting up in the stands some distance away. They were glaring at us intently. I scowled menacingly up Gabriel and moved in front of Van.

"Sister." The kid tugged on Van's hair again and pointed excitedly over top of the crowd.

A young girl with blue eyes and matching brown hair, stepped up to the station among a chorus of snickers. She only looked to be around twelve years old, but she held a small pistol in her hands with the air of experience.

The girl nodded to someone in the crowd and the crowd watched in awe as she shot six rounds from her firearm that hit all six disks that launched into the sky.

"Do you see your Father or Mother anywhere?" I asked the boy who looked like he was going to crawl out of Van's hold at any second as he yelled at the top of his lungs while waving the hat around.

"Sister!"

The sound carried and the girl looked back at us with a stunned expression. She accepted her number and jumped off the platform to race towards us. "Thomas! You were suppose to stay in the garden like you promised!"

The girl immediately started harassing us while toting around her firearm. I held my hands up gingerly as a bead of sweat dropped down the side of my face. "Hey now, hold on a second..."

The girl pointed her gun at us menacingly. "What are you doing with my little brother? Give him back!"

"Sara! Stop waiving that _thing_ around this instant!" A stern voice from behind the girl spoke up in a commanding tone.

"Papa!"

Van bent over as the boy scrambled out of his arms with excitement. The hunter plucked his hat from the boy's grasp as Thomas barreled toward the speaker.

The children's father scowled down at the girl as he picked the little boy up into his arms. "Sara! I thought I told you to watch Thomas and not go sneaking off!"

The girl started to cry under her parent's scolding. "But Papa! I am a better shot than you are!"

The man sighed and turned to us with a stressed and apologetic expression. "I deeply apologize for any trouble me or my family may have caused you. Thank you for watching out for Thomas." The man turned around and barked to his daughter. "Sara, come!"

Something was bothering me and I frowned deeply as I watched Sara wiped her tears away before starting to follow her father obediently.

"Wait! Please wait!" I called out. "What is the matter?"

The father turned around and sighed. He looked near his breaking point as his son tugging on his hair wailing for is mother while his daughter was in tears.

"Papa! Where's Mama?"

"I need to get ready for the next round, you two need to go to the garden and stay there until I come get you."

Thomas started to wail. "Nooo! I want Mama!"

"Please sir, let us help you. What is the matter?" I asked him before Van even had a chance to open his mouth in protest.

The man broke down as he went to set Thomas down on the ground. If I had any guess his ears were probably ringing from Thomas yelling.

"My wife has been chosen to be this year's Harvest Queen. This competition is to decide the king, but I am no marksmen and I only barely passed the first round."

I felt disapproval rolling off the hunter next to me as he folded his arms. "Can't you talk to the judges?"

The man shook his head. "No, not unless another woman volunteers to take her place."

Van sensed what Sierra was going to do before she even opened her mouth. "Wait…"

His protest was drown out by the angel steadfastly declaring. "I'll do it! I'll take her place!"

Time seemed to stand still for the hunter as someone, or rather something, popped up next him and chirped. "We accept your proposal, please come with me miss!"

The hunter lurched forward with a grasping hand as Sierra disappeared from his sight into a black pool. "Sierra!"

* * *

The next thing I knew I was being yanked away from Van and dragged down into a dark place. I blinked open my eyes a couple of times and suddenly found myself staring at the competition field from very top of the grandstands.

A loud voice next to me boomed out. "Good news gentlemen! We have had a change in Harvest Queens! This absolutely stunning beauty is just waiting for you to come rescue her!"

A spot light shone down on me and I blinked as my vision went white.

The loud speaker continued talking. "So if your interested in entering the competition to win this fair ladies hand, you have 10 minutes before we close registration! Best of luck to you all!"

I could only imagine what Van was going to say to my latest rash decision. I was starting to feel very ill at ease for being separated from Van, but my faith in the soldier told me that he wouldn't let me down. I bit my lip as I looked around at my surroundings.

I also watched several applicants fail their initiation spectacularly.

I was on a stage...or rather a cage.

 _This feels kind of extreme._ I thought, and then I realized I had volunteered for something that I had no idea about. "Umm, excuse me?"

I asked to two men who were sitting on the other side of the bars.

"Excuse me, sir?" I put a little more emphasis on my words and they turned to look at me.

"Yes, my dear what is it?"

I coughed politely. "I was just wondering what it is I just volunteered for?"

The men looked confused. "But...you volunteered?"

I nodded. "Yes, I did, but I was a little unclear to what I was volunteering for."

One of them rubbed his hands together with sigh. "I told you we should have just used one of the performers."

The other man shushed him. "Shhh, never mind him. It's just a little joke we have. We like to crown a harvest king and queen to ensure a fruitful harvest this year, so we hold this festival to crown them!"

I crossed my arms smelling a bit of a lie. "So, what do the harvest kind and queen do then? You mentioned that the competitors could ' win my hand'? "

"Why the harvest queen bestows a kiss to her king and then she participates in the closing dance with him in the dawn-light! Isn't it so romantic?"

"...Then why would you pick a married woman then?"

Whispers from the two men and looks of utter confusion told me they had no idea what I was talking about. "Your not married are you?"

I could feel them staring at my left hand and I hastily hid it. "No..."

The one cheerfully smiled at me. "Then there isn't any problems!"

I sat down on the chair on center stage and wondered what trouble I had just volunteered myself for. In the back of my mind something didn't quite feel right, and I couldn't shake the slight feeling of dread that was starting to creep over me. I shot a glance down into the stands and the ground surrounding them, in an attempt to see any sign of Van or Gabriel.

Despite looking several times over, I could not locate any sign of Gabriel or Van Helsing.

* * *

Author Note:

Finally I am into the climax of this story! (Did you wonder where this was going at all? This whole thing was suppose to be about a trip to the circus and a visit to an apple orchard.)

Originally, from the very start, I wanted to do a show of marksmanship, but I had such a hard time figuring it out how to incorporate it. I played around with the idea of having Sierra stumble across an older kid trying to win his younger sister a prize at a prize vendor, but Sierra isn't a skilled marksmen and she would need to ask Van for help.

Then I got this, I am not totally sure where this is going either.

Some of the highlights I enjoyed in this chapter: I really, really like the necklaces, and Sierra's feather will be important...at a later date. Probably not in this story, but I am setting the stage for later. *winks*

Other highlights...does it surprise anyone that Sierra still has trouble with hidden strength and she is still terrified by thunderstorms/loud noises? Or that she no longer cares for cherries because of Fran? (*rolf* that epilogue for Silver Lady...All that hard work on Van's part for a fruit she doesnt have the heart to say she doesnt care for anymore. *thinly veiled innuendos* ...I blame Saint.)

Also, isn't the instance with little Thomas just totally adorable? Ok minus the hair yanking, I totally thought the little family would be adorable. Like how Thomas isnt scared of Van at all and Van is just looking to save Sierra. (He let's Thomas do whatever he likes...I am hoping you had an awww moment there like I did.)

Anyway: What kind of trouble has Sierra just volunteered for? Will Van be able to rescue his angel? What will be the outcome of this contest?!

Stop back in soon to see the final chapter! (I want to get it posted this upcoming weekend!)

* * *

Important Notice: Need a disclaimer. The Night Circus is a real book and I took some heavy inspiration from it. I wouldn't call it a cross over, but I thought it was rather fitting so I incorporated it. Its about two dueling magicians who are linked to the Circus of Dreams. Anyway, don't think about it to hard, just know the idea is that the circus is strange and full of wonder/magic.


	6. Chapter 6: The Witching Hour

Chapter 6: Witching Hour

Van ground his teeth in pure anger as Sierra disappeared right in front of his eyes. The hunter's furious gaze flicked around the circus as his hands strayed towards his guns.

"Where did they take her?" The hunter hissed lethally as he looked around.

The father took a step back from the hunter in fright.

"They...They took her up...up there!" A shaking hand pointed up to the grandstand and the hunter could just barely make out the tip of Sierra's witch hat. Van's grip on his shotgun strengthened as he turned his gaze back to the father.

"Thk. How do I get up there?" The man gasped for words as Van felt someone approaching on his side.

The hunter turned, his shotgun drawn and ready as a smiling face meet his.

"Haha, my apologies monsieur, I did not mean to alarm you. Perhaps if you should sign the entry form and cooperate in the competition to get her back fairly?"

Van very nearly gunned the man down on the spot for even suggesting that he should need to win Sierra back."She's not some prize you can just lay your hands on!" The hunter snarled at the archangel in front of him.

Gabriel just grinned maliciously. "Ah, but that is where you are wrong my dear man. In this event, she is the prize. A _willing_ prize, might I add."

Van forwent open firing on the crowd, and instead just grabbed Gabriel gruffly by the front of his tweed jacket hissing. "Shut up."

The angel continued to leer at the hunter as Van pulled him closer with all the strength and force the enraged hunter could muster. Gabriel's leering only succeeded in enraging Van further. The enraged hunter flexed and lifted Gabriel off his feet with ease.

"Shut up!" Van spat venomously as the hunter felt his control slipping rapidly. Defiant blue eyes started to fleck with silver and Van slowly let go feeling overly hot and bothered in more then one way. The hunter dropped the angel in disgust.

"...What do you want?" Van hissed as Gabriel straightened his shirt collar and coughed.

"I thought I was being rather clear. I plan to win the lady Azrael's hand." Van felt his emotions roll and the angel glared at him and sneered. "Some meer human doesn't deserve the archangel Azrael's hand. You can't even save her, never mind the atrocity of an archangel even _considering_ a human consort."

Van froze and he felt like cold water had just replaced the smoldering anger that he had felt moments ago.

Gabriel scoffed at the hunter's surprise. "Didn't she ever tell you? It's strictly _forbidden_."

Van's control was scarcely in place as he struggled to find answers. Finally, the hunter managed to school his emotions back into place and he turned around to go find the register's table. "...It doesn't matter. I'll stick around as long as she wants me to. Nothing you say or do will ever change that."

Gabriel ground his teeth. "Can't you see its futile! Just give her over to me!"

Van didn't even bother with a response.

* * *

A short time later the hunter signed his name on the dotted line and was standing in front of the shooting range. A quick glance above the grandstands, in the luxury boxes, showed Sierra was watching him intensely. Her hands pressed up against the glass as the angel watched him nervously.

On the edge of the shooting range there was a couple of nods and the targets flew up into the air.

The hunter found a sufficient target for his building rage and trepidation. Van's guns fired at rapid speed and he quickly took out all the targets before the crowd could scarcely register that he annihilated every one of them in the blink of an eye. Van holstered his shotguns and glared at the judges. The judges were still amazed at the showmanship, and the clerk scrambled to write down odds and figures while another worked to issue him an entry pin. The peeved hunter clipped it to his jacket gruffly. Van took a deep breath before he looked up.

* * *

I watched as Van easily destroyed all his targets and went over to the clerks to be officially admitted into the competition. I cheered heartily from my post as he stared up at me. Something in his gaze made me feel overly guilty. There was hushed whispering behind me that started to catch my attention.

"We have a couple of very strong contenders this year. Wait wait, the boss is up in a few turns."

I didn't stop waving at Van, and something about his gaze looked slightly relieved as he pinned the entry pin to his jacket.

Behind my temperamental hunter appeared to be someone I was quickly becoming overly peeved with. The duchess waltz over to Van and the harrowed soldier scarcely paid her any attention as he watched me. Eventually she just shoved him and flounced off.

"Haha, she didn't look very happy with him did she?"

"Nope."

I turned around feeling more ill at ease knowing that the duchess was running around unsupervised. "Wait, who is your guy's boss?"

The more talkative one closed his mouth while the other answered. "The circus leader why?"

I flinched smelling a lie. With Van waiting in turn again, I sat back down.

Something wasn't adding up.

* * *

The remaining candidates were offered coffee or hot cider while they waited in the tent to see how many contenders there would be.

Van stood in the corner of the room with his arms crossed. Few people even dared approach the hunter, as the air of barely contained malice radiated from him. The next contestant walked into the room with a gallant stride and an accomplished smile. "Well meet friends! I am happy to be joining your ranks!"

The flamboyant greeting grated on Van's ears and the hunter looked away from the new comer, silently seething. It wasn't even worth his time to be here, but the hunter was willing to do whatever it took to get Sierra back safely. After accepting his pin, the hunter had looked around for a way to get into the luxury box, but it appeared the only way he was getting up there would be to fly or invitation only.

A busty clerk came in with a drink service. Soon the smell of freshly pressed coffee overtook the room and the hunter was beginning to think that it was going to be a very long night.

"Coffee sir?" The clerk offered him a cup and Van accepted it with a curt nod.

The hot black mass in his cup swirled around, reflecting the gas lights in the room. Nothing, Van did seemed to calm him. It had been a while since he had felt this sense of urgency and worry. The hunter's scowl deepened. The last time he had felt like this Sierra had almost died in his arms, caught down in the sewers by Jack the Ripper.

Van glared at the cup and took a drink.

The hot liquid burnt as it went down, but it did nothing to calm him. The hunter tugged on his necktie and took another drought. How long was it going to take for him to see Sierra again? To hear her voice. To make sure she was safe. Van's doubts plagued him as he waited for the next stage of the competition to begin. The hunter also made sure to assess and identify his competition. Which lead to him keeping a careful eye on Gabriel.

The angel mingled with the other contestants almost on a whim, but his smile and easy jokes were quickly making him a popular figure amongst the group.

Van ground his teeth and polished off his coffee.

* * *

A short time later the same clerk clapped her hands. "Alright! That's everyone! We have a couple of minutes to wait while the next course gets set up and then we will be progressing to the next round!"

Everyone quieted down and grew serious. Gabriel was already on the move. The angel slid up next to the cheerful clerk and quickly grabbed her hands in his. "Dear mademoiselle, can you take mercy on us poor souls and tell us what we need to do to get to second base?"

The clerk reddened as she stammered to answer him. "T-the next phase of the competition is -oh my-"

The clerk was overly flustered and Gabriel leaned forward with interest. "What's the matter madam?"

Van lost his patience as he watched silver start to sparkle in the angel's eyes. Any minute that the archangel toyed around with the clerk was a minute he wasted not being with Sierra on his vacation. The hunter barked from the corner and the whole place went silent. "She might be able to talk if you stepped away from her."

Gabriel swept his hair back and sighed. "It's always the pretty ones that get away…"

The archangel released the clerk and the bright red flush on her face only grew worse. "The the-next phase is a 30 second round. You...You must shoot as many objects as possible off the ledges. The further and smaller away you are the more points the object is worth. There are items worth 1, 2, or 3 points and you must collect at least 20 points to progress to the next round."

As soon as the clerk stopped speaking she fled the tent beat red with embarrassment, and then the waiting game started over again. Van looked down to realize that he had unconsciously started to grip his chest. Along with a handful of his clothes, he also firmly gripped Sierra's feather. Van loosened his hold and waited for his number to be called again, feeling rather off.

* * *

I watched and waited as they set up an assortment of things on the shooting range. Bottles, beakers, cans, jugs, shot glasses, a couple of metal ducks, and large windmill looking things. As it progressed in construction, I realized it was a shooting arcade. It was on a much difficult scale then I had ever saw outside my military training. While I waited, I thought back to my life before I meet Van.

As part of the royal guard, I had been able to use the shooting arcades the queen had provided us with for training, but I had never been proficient with firearms. The range was much more popular with some of my other squad members, so I had seen them before. The scale and materials used on the sketchy shooting range being constructed below me was very befitting for a carnival circus. The wood chips and scars on some of the metal pieces and wood stands were visible even from the distance I was at.

Then I watched as a giant scoreboard was populated in chalk with the names of the 30 remaining contest contenders.

"Gabriel?" I whispered in confusion. "He didn't hit any of the skeets. How did he pass the…" I turned to my guards furiously. "No! You will let me out right now. I refuse to go any further with this game!"

The two next to me paid me no mind and I drew my rapier in warning.

"I am warning you, let me go. I want no part in this little game anymore."

"Rules are rules miss, you agreed to be tribute."

"T-tribute?!" I sputtered in confusion.

"Yes, yes, the harvest festival always needs a queen and a king to ensure a proper harvest." The more silent of the two rumbled. "So, sit down and await your fate, it's just a little dance and a little kiss. It's not a big deal."

I squeaked out. "No big deal?!"

The other more silent one paused and crossed his arms. "Quiet now. Look, he is up next. Let's see how he does this round."

I shot a look at the ground below me. Van stood there wreathed in a layer of gun-smoke as the entire area seemed to have been decimated in a matter of a few seconds.

There was a low whistle from both men. "He is impressive! Too bad that we can't let him win."

I watched Van grip his head and stagger off the platform and I felt my world sway in response. "What…what do you guys do to Va..n.."

The world went white and I felt my knees give out from under me. The last thing I remember were the aids looking at me in utter surprise and leaping out of their chairs to help me.

"Miss!"

* * *

Van took another drink of the coffee the aid was passing out.

Most of the other guys were being weeded out quickly by the stringent requirements of the second round, less then half of them remained. A few of them were looking a little more haggard as they checked over their pieces of equipment. Van felt his headache surge, and no matter how much coffee he drank, it didn't seem to wake him up any further.

"This is turning into a disaster…" The hunter growled as he took off his glasses in order to clean them.

The world shifted out of focus and the hunter lost himself in the familiar task. He had a pretty good idea about why his weekend was going to pieces, as a slightly blurry figure flirted with the aid shamelessly.

"Some bodyguard…" Van's blurry gaze watched as the angel slid a vial to the aid who looked more than a little distressed. Gabriel pinched the aid's cheek playfully and then moved away from her to strike up conversation with some of the other competitors.

The hunter finished cleaning his glasses and took a hard look around the room. It was only little past 11 but most of his opponents were showing signs of fatigue or distress and Van had a sudden suspicion. The hunter looked over his coffee cup carefully, but he couldn't decide if there was any problems with it. The hunter sat it back down irately. No wonder his performance seemed to be slipping. If he had been drugged...

Van stood up with an air full of barely concealed rage. This weekend had started out with unanticipated hitch after another, and at the root problem seemed to be a certain womanizing angel who was right in front of him. The hunter took several heavy steps forward and then paused to think for just a split second.

The only thing that really mattered to him right now was getting Sierra back, and making sure she was ok. Anything else took a lower priority.

The hunter staggered a bit as the blood rushed to his head during his sudden and forceful movements. Van steadied himself on the back of a chair with clenched clenched teeth and vowed silently that the angel responsible for ruining his trip would eat his weight in rock salt _after _he found out Sierra was ok.

The hunter didn't know he would get his wish granted much sooner than he anticipated.

* * *

The aid came in a fourth time, with gruffer looking male aid next to her for support. As she waited for everyone to quiet down, and Van counted that only a few people had even progressed to the third round.

"Alright gentleman, this is the final round! This is a versus competition and we have the tiers already accounted for! We are going to provide you with three shots per round round. Rules are if you are hit your out., if not its the first one who ran out of shells. Last man standing has the privilege of being king!"

The female aid pulled a chalkboard out from the other side of the doorway.

Van's vision swam as he assessed his slots. He had to beat three men to progress into the finals. The hunter assessed his opponents as everyone else also looked around the room uneasily. His opponents seemed to be the only ones totally alert and awake and Van growled in frustration.

Then the numbers started being called.

Van could hear the gunshots ringing out and then shortly afterward the victor would return to the tent looking relieved.

The first victor to return smiled at them cheerfully. "I wish they would have told me those were rock salt blasts! I wouldn't have been so fussy about hitting him or not!"

At the news, Van cracked his knuckles in anticipation and shot a scathing grin at the archangel sitting across the room. The archangel paled visibly as he caught sight of the hunter's menacing aura and savage grin from across far corners of the room.

* * *

I came to in a world of white light and slowly I realized I was staring at a white ceiling.

The next things I noticed were that my arm hurt ferociously, that my head was well supported, and that I was laying on someone's lap. Or my head was at least. I twisted and bolted straight up remembering what I had just learned before I had passed out. The room spun dizzily in an array of colors as I cried out. "Van!"

There was a soft chuckle as a gloved hand pushed me back down firmly. "I am right here dearest."

I twisted my head slightly and saw I was resting in Van's lap. "Van Helsing...what?"

The hunter smiled down at me with the unmistakable air of relief. "I thought you were going to sleep for the rest of the night."

I blinked up at him totally confused on where I was and how he had got back to me. "Huh? No…." I held my hand up to my head gingerly. "What happened?"

My hazy eyes searched Van for answers. My searching gaze quickly honed in on a fresh blood stain on the arm of his jacket, and the hunter seemed to be moving much more sluggishly than usual. I reached out my other hand and touched the stain hesitantly.

The hunter visibly flinched as I touched him and I felt a wave of nausea and panic building. "Van Helsing! What happened?!"

The hunter shifted and drew his arm away from me as he growled. "Your bad habit of attracting trouble happened. What were you thinking just volunteering like that?"

I narrowed my eyes at his statement and tried to get up once again. Van's uninjured hand pressed down on my shoulder as the hunter's expression appeared to soften. "Please? Just stay here for a while. They are still finishing clean up and you need to rest."

The hunter leaned down and kissed me soundly on the lips.

Van slowly pulled away from me a moment later and I felt a tiny bit less groggy. I scowled up at him knowing he was trying to distract me. "Van, your hurt! What!? How did this happen?!"

Van nodded slowly, acknowledging that the blood on his jacket was indeed his. My blood ran cold even as I struggled to fight the growing panic while figuring out what had happened through the haze I was feeling.

Van responded to my pleading almost lazily, in a completely unconcerned manner. "...Hmm it doesn't matter….all that matters it that your safe now."

Things were beginning to make a little more sense now that I had a chance to process the situation. Van, on the other hand, seemed to barely be registering our surroundings and he played with my hair absently as I lay with my head on his leg. I grabbed his shirt and yanked him back down for another kiss. The hunter tasted a little stranger than normal, like coffee laced with something else. Something unnaturally sweet.

"You were drugged." I whispered to him as I let him go. "That has to be why…"

Van stopped me and held me close. "Were you affected because of that?" The hunter asked with an overly serious expression. I was caught by the intensity in his eyes as they clearly displayed his concern. I stuttered to respond to him.

"P-possibly?...or it was in the Cherry Squeaks to begin with?"

Van let me go and my head drifted back into his thigh.

I lay on Van's lap, thinking. It was very much a possibility that Van's poisoning was what caused my faintness, it was probably also the reason why my arm and head hurt so much. I sighed as the hunter seemed utterly content to softly stroke my hair.

"Don't ever do that again." He muttered under his breath as I rested. "If you keep sticking your nose in other people's business your going to get into more trouble."

My face broke out into a slight grin as my hand hesitantly drifted up to his face. "I am really good at that aren't I?"

The hunter snorted and pressed a quick kiss into the palm of my hand. "You are amazing dearest, in more ways than one."

"How is your wound?" I looked again at Van's jacket as he resumed stroking my hair.

The hunter looked over at his other arm and shrugged still unconcerned about it. "I wouldn't let them see me until I got up here, but a field doctor patched me up quickly enough. Though, your friend will be out for a few more hours at least."

I sighed and tried to not focus on my discomfort and raising concern. "...My friend?"

Van's voice dropped venomously, and I thought the room was going to freeze over."Gabriel made it to the final round and faced off against me. Only, he decided to use live rounds instead of the standard rock salt shots we were given." Van went silent for a moment and then continued, his voice deepening and grew colder he went. It was a tone I am overly familiar with, the hunter used to use actively when he actively hunting down Finis. "I should have been able to dodge it, he is a terrible shot, but someone started yelling you had passed out and I was distracted. The next thing I knew he was disqualified..."

"And unconscious?"

Van started to grin a little. "I might have overreacted a little bit, but I had already won before he hit me. The second shot of rock salt just finished the job. He had surprisingly low endurance for a bodyguard...unlike you might I add."

I chuckled softly remembering how many rounds of rock salt I had taken from him during our training sessions. "We definitely should resume those…"

Van shook his head knowingly but didn't say anything for a few moments, and when he did it wasn't to give me an answer. "He also wasn't as nearly as fast as you are, is there any reason for that?"

I closed my eyes as I focused on regulating my breathing. "When I get my hands on him…" I threatened under my breath and took a deep one. "It could be a lot of things, though if you want my opinion just because he says he's a bodyguard, doesn't mean he is a good one." Van stopped brushing my hair with a soft chuckled. I opened my eyes as soft music came on. "Is it time?"

Van nodded.

"M'lady may I have this dance?" Van's manner of speaking sounded so formal, and forced, that I stifled my giggle as I sat up slowly.

I answered him cordially. "It would be my pleasure, sir."

The hunter held out his hand as he got up and I took his hand in mine.

Slowly, in turn with the music we danced in up in the luxury boxes above the grandstands in slow circles. Van twirled me around to the tempo, in excellent form and I relished the moment. It reminded me of that spring morning not all that long ago.

"For still recovering, you are dancing extremely well." The hunter muttered in between a beat. He must have also been recalling the time I had forced him to dance out in the garden and I let a bubble of laughter fall out.

"Haha, my mother taught me well I suppose. My brother also liked to practice, he really wanted to impress all the ladies at court with his dancing abilities."

Van was silent and I was pretty sure I see a shadow cross over his face. A movement below us caught my attention out of the corner of my eye and I snickered. "Look at Gabriel down there scowling up at us." I furrowed my brows as Van hazard a glance down below us. "...I thought you said he would be out for a while yet?"

"Thk. As long as he stays down there, I don't really care."

I chuckled as I leaned into Van, content on letting him lead.

As the song concluded, Van leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine and there was a slow roaring cheer from below.

We both pulled away smiling slightly and I felt myself start to blush heavily. "This is a bit embarrassing…."

Van pulled me closer as if the shield me from the roaring crowd and turned his back to them.

"The crowd _is_ annoying." His voice resonated deep in his chest as one of the aids appeared in the luxury box a good ways away from us and started roaring.

"Amazing! Please give it up for the King and Queen of the Harvest Festival! Everyone thank you very much for your time! Annnddd with that, this concludes the Oxford Harvest festival! Please enjoy the rest of your night with us and we hope to see you back here next year!"

I clung to Van as I felt us being set out back on the ground level. I muttered under my breath as the announcer when silent. "Probably not…."

Van looked down at me, his expression looking slightly distressed. "This has been an eventful weekend, I don't blame you."

I shook my head. "I won't mind going back to the apple orchard! I just think that maybe we will skip the night circus next year."

Van's smile seemed genuine as he started to lead me away from the amassing crowd with haste. "Did you enjoy the trip to the orchard then?"

I faltered as my feet tripped. "Ahh!"

Van caught me without missing a breath. The hunter looked the angel over carefully and slowly insisted. "You still need to rest."

The hunter was thinking, and trying to think quickly about where they could go to escape the crowd. Sierra still wasn't in any condition to make it back to the hotel room on foot...which left him with few options.

Van pulled the angel up into his arms and started to carry her. "You're in no condition to be walking."

I was feeling better with Van keeping close to me and with his careful touches, but apparently my escort was keen on not letting me strain myself. The smell of blood quickly started to saturate the air around me and I looked down at his arm in panic.

"Van! I can walk. I promise!" I protested as he cut through the back alleys of the tents, away from any of circus exits I knew. "Where are we going?!" I managed to squeak out in further protest.

"Hush." He ordered softly.

"Where did they go?" Gabriel's voice rose clear above the crowd as Van pressed up against the side of the tent.

"I should have hit him again…" The hunter growled, highly irate.

I wrapped my arms around Van's neck and tried to convince the hunter to set me down before he hurt himself further. "Van, don't bother with him right now. Your still hurt too! Please let me down..."

Van sighed and set me down slowly as I pressed a soft kiss to his cheek.

"I don't want to let…"

I pressed my fingers against his lips to hush his protests. "I know where we can go. The fortune teller."

Van stopped protesting and his mouth hung there like he was going to say something but thought better of it.

"Alright, lets go." The hunter's face straightened back into a concerned scowl and he checked the alleys. Van nodded the all clear and he agreed without any further comments and I turned around.

"Errr…"

The hunter shook his head, knowing I had no idea where we were at, and moved to lead the way. "This way."

* * *

The fortune teller ended up being named Tera Fersith.

Once I quickly explained our problem, the prissy fortune teller quickly closed her tent and lead us inside. The inside of Tera's tent was strangely magical. Instruments rimmed in gold shimmered and reflected the many candles that illuminated the dark confines of the tent. Rich golds and purples saturated the ground, pillows, couch, tables and chair, but most of this was lost on me as I pulled out my medical pack.

"Tera, can you bring me some warm water and and tea if you have it?"

The fortune teller quickly made her way to the back of another tent that was adjacent to her working quarters with a firm. "I will see what I can come up with."

With Tera out of the way, I turned around face Van.

"I thought you said they took care of this!" I hissed as he unbuttoned his last shirt and folded it neatly onto the table.

"They did, I must have opened it back up when I was carrying you." The blood on his jacket had just gotten worse but the hunter looked unconcerned at the ever reddening bandage on his arm.

I stared at it as well, with a much more concerned feeling that slowly rolled thru my entire being. My headache had also returned after we had stopped touching, and I only felt my exhaustion mounting. I had yet to find a chance to deal with it. Not when my feet decided they felt like wet noodles, and I was starting to feel the weight of the days events on me keenly.

"Sit down." I crisply commanded and the hunter looked around quickly in order to comply with my orders.

Clothed only from the waist down, Van ended up taking up residency on a large pile of cushions next to a small coffee table.

"You should rest." The hunter stated just as I turned to him.

"Not until your taken care of!" I hissed as Tera came back into the room with the tea service I had requested.

"Oh! My apologies…" She turned and I caught her silently appraising Van while I dug thru my medical pack. "I do say...are you married?"

Neither of us answered her, and I scowled as she set the tea down in front of us. The prissy fortune teller then proceeded to pour us all some tea. The scent drifting up from the teapot helped to override the scent of blood with a crisp and sweet smell.

"I only have the local flavors unfortunately, I do hope apple and honey is acceptable."

I sniffed it and then took a small sip. The clear taste of apples and honey shone through, and I determined it wasn't drugged. "This is wonderful Tera, thank you."

I took another sip of my tea and felt the warm liquid help to ease my growing stress. "Really, thank you Tera, for everything."

"It's my pleasure dear. It's the least I could do. You seem to have had quite the ordeal, and I am happy to help."

I set my tea cup down and looked over the medical equipment from my pack that I had scattered all over the opposite side of the coffee table in preparation to begin treating Van. As I looked it over with a critical eye and growing sense of concern. As I did a final review, feeling like I was missing something, I had a question bubble to the top of my mind.

"Tera, what can you tell me about the Harvest Festival?"

The fortune teller threaded her hands together and rested her chin on them with pursed lips. "The harvest festival crowning are an old tradition for this circus, but we haven't toured England in over five years. So it's causing a bit of a fuss for everyone because we normally are in France right now. The idea is that the land and people around it will be blessed with a good harvest this year and for several more years after that."

I finished my inventory and unwound the bandages on Van's bicep. I hissed softly at the sight before me. "Oh Van…"

The hunter calmly assessed the damage to his arm as I cleaned the blood from around it without flinching. "...It probably needs to be restitched."

Tera pulled a face and got up suddenly. "I-I have no stomach for this, please excuse me."

I nodded to her as she left and started to pull out the torn stitches with my forceps. My face turned steadily grimmer with each one I removed and I realized what I was missing. I was missing something rather important.

I didn't carry any local anesthetic on me.

My mind settled on a small bottle of chloroform that I carried.

"Umm Van…?" The hunter had been watching me work with a tired expression in his eyes.

"What is it?"

I licked my lips nervously as I looked at the damage. "This needs to be re-stiched, but I..I am sorry but I don't have anything to help with the pain…"

"I see."

The hunter's short answer did nothing to ease my consciousness and I shot a look at the bottle and then a look back at him. "I...I do have something that could knock you out while I did it…"

The hunter looked down at my steady hands, which were carefully threading the needle in preparation. "What would be easier for you?"

I answered him honestly."Not needed to do this at all."

The hunter's blue purple eyes flashed and he voiced a protest. "Then don't. I can find someone in town…"

I gave the hunter a firm push to indicate he should lay down and protested over top of him vehemently.

"I am not going to entrust your care of some half twit random doctor!" I growled at him. "...Besides you'll recover more quickly if I treat it anyway."

Van let Sierra's push force him down onto the cushions behind him as the angel's possessiveness manifested. The hunter made out tiny pearls of frustration and anger manifesting the corner of the angel's eyes as her passion and concern filled her voice.

"I highly doubt I would even let Fran treat you anymore without my consent!" I finished threading my needle and looked up at the hunter who was only watching me with wide eyes and a slightly unsettled expression. "I...I would much rather you didn't look at me while I did this…."

I gestured up the bottle. "Or…"

Van eyed the bottle in disgust, apparently very opposed to me knocking him out. " Don't worry, I can handle it."

I bit my lip and took a deep breath, but consented to his decision. "I'll try to be quick about it."

The hunter turned his head and averted his gaze without another word as I started on my gruesome task.

* * *

Not to that much later I wound the last bandage around Van's arm.

His arm was very red and irritated, but I was fairly certain it would go away shortly if he took it easy and didn't strain it for a day or so. I took a deep breath as I tied the bandage off.

"Alright, I am done."

Van moved his head to look back at me.. "Thank you…" His eyes quickly picked up on the silent tears that I had been shedding while I worked. "Sierra..."

Van's tone of voice was soft as he called my name and it made me look up from cleaning and putting my supplies away. I broke down. "I am so sorry Van! I keep doing this to you! You keep getting hurt because of me!"

Van reached his arm out and I flinched away from him trying to both finish cleaning my tools and brush away my tears at the same time. Van stopped and then slowly pulled his arm back in before inquiring. "Am I free to get up now?"

I nodded glumly and closed my pack. "...I think the crowd has died down as well."

A annoyed voice drifted in from the adjacent tent.

"I am afraid not. As this is the last night of the festival, its growing quite packed around here." It was Tera, who peeked her head back in to look at us.

I glanced uneasily at Van who was slowly sitting back up.

"I am hoping you don't mind but I ordered you a taxi, it should be waiting at the service entrance outback."

I watched Van start moving, and I quickly got up in order to hand Van his shirts. The world went fuzzy as I got up, but I did't let it show.

The hunter accepted his first shirt and turned to Tera. "That is good, thank you."

While Van worked on buttoning his first shirt, I was in the middle of reattaching my medical pack to my belt and my finger's slipped on the cinch. I rarely heard Van ever acknowledge anyone else's efforts. I finished adjusting my pack and handed the hunter his next layer in amazement.

"That's amazing Tera! Thank you!"

The fortune teller let a slow smile slide over her painted lips. "The gift of foresight _can_ be useful sometimes. Now, if you are quite finished, will you kindly exit my tent from the out the back way? I would like to take advantage of the growing crowd and start accepting customers now."

I grabbed Van's tie and handed him his jacket.

"We understand, I am very sorry for the trouble we have caused tonight. Thank you for letting us stay here and use your tent. We very much appreciate your assistance." I bowed formally as the hunter finished dressing. I quickly tied Van's tie around my neck as Van bucked his holsters and shotguns back into place.

"Right, lets go." The hunter briskly lead the way out of the tent and I followed Van out past Tera as she smiled heartedly.

"Happy to be of service, have a pleasant trip dears. See you again soon!"

As I passed Tera my heart skipped a beat and I looked back. The black veil covered her eyes and the red lipstick stood out against the pale cream color of her skin, but I swore I saw a flash of silver in her eyes. I felt a brief moment of panic as Van held open the tent flip and waited for me to follow him. I

took another step forward and tried to focus on just making it back to the hotel room in one piece.

* * *

The trip back to the hotel had me dozing against Van in exhaustion. The rumble of the carriage and the horse hooves lulled me into a peaceful slumber that would have let me sleep for the rest of the night had we not came to a stop.

Van felt overly guilty for waking the angel. Dark circles had taken form under her eyes as she had treated him, but the hunter realized he didn't have much choice in the matter. He normally would have just carried her, but he didn't want to put any more strain on his arm and make Sierra repeat the experience again. She looked exhausted enough already, after treating him and fainting. The soldier sighed heavily, knowing his next step was to maintenance his equipment before he could go to bed. It looked like his thundering headache, throbbing arm, and his fatigue were not things that was going to disappear anytime soon.

I woke up to Van touching my shoulder and wiggling it slightly.

"Sierra, wake up. We are back at the hotel."

"Hmmm k…" I mumbled as I crawled out of the carriage and waited for Van to finish paying the taxi. The town was still very much alive, despite it being much closer to morning. Families and couples wandered the streets hither and yon, and I looked around hazily with sleepy eyes.

Van paid the coachman and then we went upstairs to our room. I went directly into the washroom and began getting ready for bed. I came out in a proper nightgown this time and looked around expected to see Van doing the same. Not finding him anywhere in the bedroom, I called out hesitantly. "Van Helsing?"

"In here." The hunter answered and I peeked my head around the corner in order to locate the hunter. I started to frown as I approached the table where Van had taken up residency. "Van! It's going on five am! Can't that wait until after you have rested a bit?"

"Probably." The hunter answered curly as he sat in front of a full table. Van had his guns disassembled and he was meticulously cleaning them as he growled. "However, if today is anything like yesterday, I am not taking any more risks. You might just up and disappear on me."

I flinched at his harsh words and walked over to him.

Van looked up from cleaning his shotguns to see Sierra wandering over from the bedroom in a very light nightgown in white that outlined her every curve. The hem of her gown teased at her mid thigh and the soldier felt himself groan internally. It was going to be a _very_ long night if she walked around in that much longer.

"That's just not fair Van! I just wanted to help..." I reached out and wrapped my arms around his neck as the hunter steadfastly focused on the task at hand. "...and you got hurt because of me….I'm sorry Van. So sorry!"

Van continued his work, pointedly focusing on his given task at hand. The hunter knew that if he let himself be distracted, Sierra would effectively get under his guard and he would be following her into the bedroom one way or the other.

"Leave me alone and go to sleep." Van's words came out much harsher then he intended and Sierra just buried her face into his hair and hugged him a little harder.

"No, Van I won't leave you alone. I'll stay up as long as you are."

The hunter sighed heavily and he looked at all the pieces scattered around the table.

"Are you sure about that?" The hunter raised his eyebrows at me. "This could take a while."

I opened my eyes to see a sea of gold as Van's masculine scent surrounded me. "I'll wait for you as long as it takes."

I slowly released him and went over to the other side of the table to take a seat. "How about teaching me how these work while I wait?"

Van shook his head at the angel's persistence but he readily started explaining the general mechanics of a firearm to the woman sitting across from him.

* * *

Some time later, Van finally finished his tasks as Sierra slumbered peacefully across the table.

The angel had tried very hard to stay awake, but Van had did his best to get her to go to bed. When those attempts failed, he settled on trying to keep things as boring as possible in order to lull her to sleep regardless of _where_ it happened. Finally, about halfway through his explanation, the angel's head had drifted towards the tabletop. Very soon afterward Van started to hear her rhythmic breathing as she drifted off to sleep.

The early morning light was just beginning to chase the darkness of night away as Van got up and stretched stiffly. The hunter knew he was down right exhausted, but the tasks he had been working on were so familiar that he didn't have to think much about them. Instead he watched Sierra sleep, memorized just her peaceful face. The angel looked so gentle and unguarded, that the hunter felt his emotions radiating with each slow breath she took.

Like pebbles dropping into a calm lake, he knew and felt the stirrings of love across his proverbial lake of emotions. She shook him to his core. The hunter knew he would risk anything for her, do anything for her, he was totally committed to her happiness and well being as he had never been to anyone else before.

The hunter's brow furled in concern. Concern about how he could ever keep her safe and happy.

How she had ever come to follow him.

Her selflessness and compassion moved him in ways the hunter had never thought possible. She was his whole world, and the trip to the circus only proved to Van that his world was fragile and made of glass. The hunter wasn't sure what bothered him more: having Sierra forcibly taken him him and being helpless to have stopped it; having the Archangel actively trying to take her away; or finding her unresponsive up in the luxury box. Van felt his arm throb and decided what he disliked the most about the entire trip.

The thing he had disliked the most was seeing Sierra's expression and her forcing herself to treat him. To have her treating him, crying over him, for such a stupid blunder, was in fact the most damning thing about the entire trip.

...Still there were things he had enjoyed about this trip as well.

The scent of apples filled the room and Van closed his eyes, still reflecting on his feelings. It took him a few seconds to notice the sleepy blue eyes staring at him.

"...Hmm...is it time to go to sleep now?"

"Almost." He whispered as Sierra slowly uncurled herself and stood up.

The weak early morning light illuminated her slight frame and pale nightgown as she held out a hand to him. "Dearest…"

Van tried to clear his throat as he took her hand and guided the barely awake angel towards the bedroom.

The hunter got Sierra into the bed without any wayward protests or advances and he went over to his small sack of clothes with relief. The angel had barely registered him tucking her in and the steady sounds of her sleeping breath reached his ears as a type of soft music.

Yes, there were definitely things he had enjoyed on the trip. Seeing Sierra's face trying pumpkin for the first time, watching her as they danced, trying caramel apples together...There were a lot of good things that happened as well.

The hunter briskly pulled his shirts off and the chains came back down and bounced lightly against his chest.

The hunter stopped and stared at the grey feather as it lay against his skin. The meaning and sentiments behind his angel's feather...Van stroked it softly between his thumb and forefinger before pulling out a pair of pajama pants with a faint, but content, smile.

Van had just tied off the cord of his pants when he heard Sierra's breathing change and a second later he looked over at her as she yawned. "Please come to bed dear."

Van smiled softly and started to crawl into bed next to her for the very first time. The hunter looked down as the angel snuggled up against him with contentment.

Yes, there were some things he really loved about this trip. The hunter leaned down and kissed the angel's forehead softly as her eyes drifted shut and she drifted back off the sleep.

* * *

Author note:

Kawaii! Isn't it just so cute? I really adore seeing the softer sides of Van. Though, I hope it kind of shows that he is working on it. Neither of them are really all that shy, but Sierra gets so flustered because she's just not used to Van being all that expressive. (Can we blame her? Or him for that matter, as it's only been a few months since Code Realize.)

Chapter Highlights: Of course there had to be a gun fight! It's Van Helsing! The angry hunter who would rather solve all his problems by force...is forced to compete to protect his angel! And because I adore certain tropes and stereotypes! =3

Another chapter highlight was that I drugged Van...but Van's kind of immune to it so it doesn't knock him out like Gabriel wanted. To many years of eating his own cooking I am afraid (lol...) Originally I wanted it to be an different type of drug other then a sleeping one, but that might appear in a different story. I also want to point out, Sierra didn't end up bleeding during this story! Ok, so Van got a little hurt...and Sierra fainted but that is all because of Gabriel. Is anyone surprised he both cheated in the competition and drugged Van, and by association, Sierra? And he is such a womanizer...which is very typically of angel nature. Always looking to refill the devotion meter...angels are such demanding and devious lovers. *winks*

Van has his work cut out for him at any rate with Sierra following him around!

Conclusion/Parting notes:

I do hope you enjoyed this shorter story, as this completes this arc! I mean this to be a tie in to Van's "Future Blessings" time line, but you'll have to wait for me to work on the holiday arc to get a proposal/wedding..or anything that happens after marriage. I am not saying that's all going to happen in the holiday release I am planning...but as a special treat you can look forward to: I totally have plans that include Van and Lupin cross dressing. Just take a second to think about that. Van and Lupin cross dressing...(^W^)

If you liked this story and/or chapter I would love to hear your feedback in the comments! If commenting really isnt your thing, liking would also be greatly appreciated! Let others know that the story is worth reading!

I also suggest you nip over to my deviantart account: Sayna-Yuki. I actively post and commission art pieces on this pairing/fan ficts so you can have some visuals. (O.o )

Lastly: thank you so very much for reading! I really hope to read your feedback, and know if you enjoyed it...I also hope that you stop in and read my future works! *bows*


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